


The Emerald

by Kenyancougar



Series: Abducted [3]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-20
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-03-18 17:07:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 60
Words: 120,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3577284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kenyancougar/pseuds/Kenyancougar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver proposes, Roy faces someone from his past, the Team deals with a new threat in town, and a Happily Ever After is within reach! Features all of Team Arrow, the Queen and Lance families, and Sin. This is the final installment in my 'Abducted' series. (Reading Abducted and Teamwork are not necessary, just highly recommended.)</p><p>***Now includes Olicity Wedding***</p><p>Disclaimer: I do not own Arrow.  It belongs to the CW.</p><p>Huge thanks to my betas Mic RiddyBanon and WolfOfHiddenMoons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It had been four months since they escaped from the clutches of Slade Wilson. The Team had been kept fairly busy with a gang dispute that broke out and things were just now starting to calm down again. Felicity sat at her desk in the lair, supposedly working, instead she was watching Oliver on the Salmon Ladder, again. His body had finally healed from all of the wounds that Malcolm and Slade had given him and in her eyes he had never looked better. He did have new scars mixed in with the old ones. The cuts on his chest had simply been inflicted over previous scars so even though they were fresh scars they simply replaced old ones. The scars that most often drew her attention though were the ones on his back, from where Slade had brutally whipped him. The wounds had healed, leaving in their place a myriad of faded white lines where his back had been laid open with the whip, patches of thick silver wedges in places where the lashes had crossed. He was still a handsome man, nothing could change that, he simply held new marks. Marks that continually reminded her of just how strong he really was and that he would always fight back.  _ **  
**_

Felicity watched as Oliver smoothly transitioned from the Salmon Ladder to the beams overhead, moving into inverted crunches. He smiled at her as he caught her watching him and she returned the smile just as genuinely. She truly did love this man! She looked around then to the rest of the Team, all except Roy who had gone home for a shower and some sleep. Sara and Diggle were sparring on the mats not far away. This place would always be home to her now and she couldn't think of a better place to be.

She looked once more to her Archer above her before then looking down to her left hand and she couldn't stop the huge smile that crossed her face as she looked at her emerald. Felicity was indeed a very happy woman!

* * *

Roy walked tiredly up to the front door of his house. It had been a long week of crime fighting. Thankfully Oliver had fully healed from his injuries inflicted by Malcolm Merlyn and Slade Wilson meaning that the Team was once again at full crime fighting capacity. However, that didn't change the fact that they had had several long nights this week breaking up a gang dispute. He was hungry, tired, and in dire need of a nice, long, hot shower. He pulled his key from his pocket and unlocked his front door, flipping on the lights as he walked into his house. Locking his door back behind him he dropped his duffel bag on the floor just inside the door and walked to his kitchen, feet dragging with exhaustion.

"Hello Roy."

Roy stopped dead in his tracks when he heard the voice in his house, his body immediately on high alert. There was only one person in his life that had that voice, and he was supposed to be dead. He turned to face the man sitting on his bed.

"Well, aren't you going to welcome me home...Son?"

"What are you doing here?" Roy growled in what was a pretty good imitation of Oliver's Arrow growl as he clenched his fists at his side. Roy Harper Sr. was the  _last_ person he ever expected to see, or wanted to see, in his house. His dad stood and walked slowly towards him.

"Now Son, that's no way to welcome back your long lost Father." Roy Sr. said to his son as he came to stand directly in front of him.

"You're supposed to be dead." Roy spat at his dad. Having this man standing so close to him not only put him on edge, but worried him as well as he still had very clear memories of the man before him.

"Is that what she told you?" Roy Sr. asked, clearly referring to his late wife. "That I was  _dead._ "

Roy swallowed nervously as he scowled at his dad. He had yet to figure out why the man was here and found he was starting to worry more and more as the moments dragged on.

"That ungrateful  _bitch!"_  Roy Sr. yelled at his son as he took a step closer, spitting in his face. He found he was slightly amused at the fact that Roy was standing tall in front of him with hands clenched into fists at his side, as though ready for a fight, and yet his son backed away from him when he got closer. "Telling my own son, my flesh and blood, that I was  _dead_! Oh well, it doesn't matter now does it. Not since we are finally together again." Roy Sr. said as he placed his hands on Roy's shoulders. He could feel the strength radiating from Roy under his touch. He stepped back and smiled, finally calming himself again.

"What are you doing here?" Roy asked his dad yet again. He was determined to find out why this maniac was in his house.

"I want you to join the family business." Roy Sr. said as he leaned against the kitchen counter and folded his arms in front of him.

"What family business?" Roy asked, curious as to what his dad was involved in that he would need his help.

"I'm a weapons dealer son." Roy Sr. explained, watching his son's face closely for his reaction. "I had a client, my most respected and wealthiest client, here in Starling City who went off the grid about four months ago. I was told that the Vigilante, this Arrow, and his team took him down. I want to find this man, and kill him, and you're going to help me."

"Why would I help you?" Roy asked as chills ran down his spine at his dad's words.

"Because." Roy Sr. stood and again moved to stand in front of his son. He placed his left hand on Roy's shoulder again and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "You're my son." Roy Sr. then delivered a swift, hard punch to Roy's stomach causing his son to double over with a grunt of pain. "And if you don't I'm going to not only hurt you, but everyone you care about as well."

Roy was doubled over in pain, gasping for breath, as his dad released his shoulder and turned to walk out the front door. He paused in the doorway and turned back to Roy. "I'll be back tomorrow. I'll expect your decision then." Roy Sr. then left the house, closing the door behind him.

Roy fell to his knees, unable to stop a tear from escaping. There was no way he could help this man find and hurt his Team, not after everything they had gone through. He knelt on his kitchen floor, for how long he did not know, before he remembered Felicity's words to him four months ago.  _I hope she meant it._  He thought as he pulled out his phone and speed dialed the lair, hoping the Team was still there.

"Hey Roy, what's up?" Felicity answered distractedly on the second ring.  _Must be staring at either Oliver or her engagement ring again_.

"Felicity, we have a problem." Roy told her matter of factly.

"What is it Roy? What's wrong?" Roy could hear the sudden worry in her voice.

"Someone's in town hunting Oliver." Roy explained.

"Who? Whose hunting Oliver?" Roy could hear the Team gathering around Felicity at her desk.

"It's an arms dealer. His biggest client went missing about four months ago." Roy took a moment to take a deep breath as he knew what question they would ask next. Only this time it was Oliver asking the question.

"Who is it Roy?"

"It's my dad." Roy said resignedly.

"Come to the lair and let's talk." Oliver directed, his tone of voice leaving no room for discussion.

"I'll be there in five." Roy told them before hanging up the phone. He dreaded telling the Team about his dad and wondered how long he could keep his deepest, darkest secrets hidden now that his dad was back in town.


	2. Decisions

Oliver was doing inverted crunches in the lair as Diggle and Sara were sparring on the training mats and Felicity sat at her computer desk. He wasn't sure exactly what she was doing as they had no mission to work on right now and she wasn't even looking at her computer. She had just been staring at him, watching him train, and then she looked down to her left hand, again. She had been doing that a lot the last two months, admiring her engagement ring he assumed. The thought brought a smile to his face as he could still remember clearly the day that he went to purchase the ring.

_**Two Months Ago...** _

_Oliver and Diggle were just leaving Queen Consolidated when Oliver finally decided to go ahead with his plan._

_"Diggle..." Oliver said as he turned to his good friend who was walking beside him. "...we need to make a stop on the way home."_

_"Sure. Where?" Diggle asked as he opened the car door for Oliver._

_"The jewelry store!" Oliver stated as he entered the car, leaving a baffled Diggle on the curb. He couldn't help the huge smile that was plastered on his face. He had been thinking about this for the last two months, ever since they finally put Slade away. Diggle entered the car moments later, glaring at Oliver in the mirror._

_"You sure man?" Diggle asked, clearly understanding what Oliver was implying. He had seen the way that Oliver and Felicity had grown closer together, if that was even possible, and had known_ _that this day was coming. He just wanted to make sure that his partner was truly_ _ready for this level of commitment._

_"Yeah." Oliver said as his smile grew even wider. "I'm sure."_

_"Okay_ _. To the jewelry store it is then." Diggle said as the car pulled away from the curb, making the short drive to the most prominent jewelry store in Starling City._ If he's going to do this then he's gonna do it right. _He thought to himself as they walked through the door._

_Oliver took his time looking for the perfect ring. He knew it would have to be simple as Felicity didn't care for over the top, extravagant jewelry. However, he also wanted it to be something that screamed Oliver and Felicity, something that would remind her of them every time she looked at it. It took over an hour before he saw it. The light suddenly reflecting off something in his peripheral vision. He walked over to a corner case that held rings with gemstones in them and he bent over the case, looking closely at the ring that had caught his eye._

_"I want to see this one." Oliver told the jeweler, pointing at the ring in question. His small smile again grew as the ring was gently pulled out of the case and handed to Oliver for inspection. "It's perfect!" Oliver whispered, causing Diggle to look over his shoulder at the ring. It was a simple ring, it was white gold with an emerald placed in the center, two smaller diamonds_ _on either side, and then two even smaller diamonds on the sides of those. It was just five simple stones, one of which was the same deep green as Oliver's Arrow suit._

_"She does seem to like the color green." Diggle stated with a laugh, thinking about the many times he had watched Felicity stare at Oliver while the other man was in his leathers. "You don't think that would draw too much attention." He asked the younger man, giving him a pointed look that clearly conveyed the real question._ It won't give any clues as to your nightly activities will it? _He wanted to make sure Oliver had thought through all the possibilities._

 _"No, it's her favorite stone. How can I_ not _get it for her?" Oliver answered, letting Diggle know that yes, he had thought this through. "Can you engrave it?" Oliver asked, turning back to the jeweler standing on the other side of the display case._

_"Yes Mr. Queen, of course. What would you like it to say?"_

_Oliver took a moment to think, trying to decide the perfect way to let her know that she would always be_ his _girl, his one and only. Suddenly he remembered something that she said to him after Tockman and knew, with absolute certainty, exactly what he wanted it to say._

_"I want it to say...'My Girl. Always!'" Oliver told the man. He noticed the look on Diggle's face, the huge smile his friend had, clearly approving. "When will it be ready?" Oliver asked the jeweler._

_"We will need two days to engrave it and polish it Mr. Queen." The man answered as he drew up the paperwork and Oliver paid for the ring, not even looking at the price tag._

_"Perfect. Call me as soon as it's ready please." Oliver told the man as they shook hands. "Oh, and I expect complete discretion." Oliver said seriously, pinning the man with an intense glare. "Or I'll take my business elsewhere next time."_

_"Of course...Mr. Queen." The man stammered, taken back a bit at the intensity in Oliver's glare. He stood, dumbfounded, as he watched Oliver Queen and his bodyguard leave the store._

_Once in the car Diggle turned to look at Oliver, who still had a smile plastered on his face. "You know you're going to have to tone down that smile or she's gonna know something's up."_

_"I know. I just can't wait to give it to her." Oliver said thoughtfully. It had taken him the entire ride to Verdant to get his facial features under control._

**Present Day...**

Oliver was pulled from his thoughts as the phone in the lair rang. Felicity answered on the second ring.

"Hey Roy, what's up?" Felicity asked cheerfully, however she was still distracted with the way the light was reflecting off her ring. "What is it Roy? What's wrong?" She suddenly grew very serious and sat up straight in her chair, looking intently to Oliver. "Who? Who'shunting Oliver?"

At the last comment from Felicity he dropped to the floor and walked over to stand next to her as she put the phone on speaker so the Team could hear the entire conversation, instead of just her side of it.

"It's an arms dealer. His biggest client went missing about four months ago." Roy said from the other end of the line. It sounded to Oliver like the kid had been punched in the gut and still wasn't able to draw a full breath.

"Who is it Roy?" Oliver asked, needing to know who they were working with now.

"It's my dad." Roy said resignedly.

Oliver's head shot up at this revelation. He looked to the rest of his Team and noticed their surprise at this as well.

"Come to the lair and let's talk." Oliver directed, he made sure that his tone of voice left no room for discussion.

"I'll be there in five." Roy said before hanging up.

Once Roy hung up the phone the discussion in the lair started.

"I thought Roy's parents were both dead." Diggle stated. "Isn't that what he told us?"

"Yes, well, we all know how dead people don't stay dead around here. I mean there's Merlyn, then Slade and Isabitch, even you Sara." Felicity chimed in. She suddenly realized what she had said when Oliver and Diggle both gave her a pointed look. Her eyes grew wide and her hands flew to her mouth to stop her rambling. "I am so sorry Sara. I did  _not_  mean it like that!"

"Don't worry Felicity, I knew what you meant." Sara said with a laugh. She always thought it was funny when Felicity rambled as she so often did, and the embarrassment that inevitably followed. "Besides, you're right. People from Starling City are hard to kill." She said with a smile as she gave Oliver a pointed look. She heard Diggle laughing and allowed her own small laugh to escape.

"I think to start with we should focus on who was buying the weapons here in Starling." Oliver said, drawing the attention back to the task at hand. "Maybe if we can figure out who that was we can work the case from there."

"Well, Roy said it was about four months ago that the guy went missing. So, the obvious question is who did we take down four months ago?" Felicity asked, turning to her computers. She was about to start typing when suddenly the realization dawned on her. "Slade!"

"It has to be. He is the only one we stopped, four months ago, that was buying weapons from an arms dealer." Diggle stated, having come to the same conclusion.

"So we are dealing with the man who was supplying those Australian weapons to Slade." Sara commented. "And he just happens to be Roy's father."

"Roy didn't seem to realize that the man was alive. I could hear the disbelief in his voice still when he told us who it was." Oliver observed. This meant that they couldn't rely on Roy to be able to provide the needed intel. They would have to go about this the same way they did any other mission.

"Felicity, find anything you can on Roy's dad." Oliver said as he looked down to his fiancé. "See if you can figure out where he went after he was presumed dead."

"Right, I'll also see if I can track down where he's staying while he's here." Felicity said as her hands found their place on her keyboard. "Oliver?"  _ **  
**_

"Yes Felicity."

"We're going to be there for Roy no matter what right?" Felicity asked, hoping that she was right in the answer that Oliver would give in response.

"Of course Felicity. We are a Team, and we will always have each other's backs." Oliver said with a smile, noting the looks on Diggle and Sara's faces as well, agreeing with him.

"I was hoping you would say that." Roy said from the top of the stairs. The Team looked to him and Sara noted that he looked like he had seen a ghost. "Because I don't know if I can do this alone." The kid admitted.

"Roy." Oliver said as he walked up to his young protégé. "You will never have to face  _anything_ alone again!" Oliver said with finality.


	3. Revelations

Felicity turned back to her computer, ready to track down this man that was disrupting the peace in their lives. She started by pulling up feeds from the traffic cameras around Roy's house, trying to get a good shot of the man's face and, if she was lucky, the car and license plates that he was using. As she worked she also paid attention to the rest of the Team, making sure they took good care of one of their own in trouble.

"Roy, are you okay?" Sara asked as the younger man moved deeper into the lair to join his Team.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Roy answered much to Felicity's amusement.  _They all use that word_ way _too much!_  She thought as she worked to enhance a picture on her screen.

"Hey Roy." Felicity called to the younger man as she turned to face the Team. She noted that Roy was staring at a spot on the far wall and Sara, Diggle, and Oliver were exchanging looks that clearly said they didn't believe Roy. "Can you come look at this picture and tell me if it's him?" Felicity asked carefully, pulling Roy out of his own thoughts.

"Sure." Roy answered Felicity as he moved to stand next to the blonde.

Oliver watched Roy carefully. He had a feeling that something was going on, more so than Roy simply seeing a man that he thought was dead. He thought he saw a hint of fear in Roy's eyes -and that wasn't something he normally saw in the kid's face. He moved to stand on the other side of Felicity so that he could see the picture on the screen as well as Roy's reaction.

Oliver noticed that when Roy saw the picture on the screen he immediately became more tense than he previously had been. Roy clenched his hands into fists at his side and responded quietly with a voice full of tension.

"Yeah, that's him." Roy confirmed. He was tense again, he could feel all his muscles reacting to his emotions and after a moment he realized that he had his hands clenched at his side too.

"Did he tell you what he wanted?" Oliver asked, attempting to draw Roy's attention from the screen to focus on something else.

"He said he wants me to join the family business." Roy answered, voice completely devoid of emotion, as he walked around Felicity's desk towards the training dummies.  _ **  
**_

"You said he was an arms dealer right?" Diggle asked, drawing on the minimal information that they had on the man at the moment.

"Yeah. He wants me to join him." Roy commented as he turned back to the Team. He locked his eyes with Oliver's as he continued to explain. "He heard that the Arrow stopped his biggest client about four months ago. I can only think that it was Slade. He wants me to help track you and the Team down, - and kill you." Roy had to break his gaze away from Oliver's as he finished. He felt like a traitor already simply from revealing his dad's plans to the Team.

"What did you tell him?" Sara asked, trying to make sure that there was no judgment to be heard in her voice. She thought she knew what Roy would have said and was simply hoping that she was right.

"I didn't say anything." Roy said as he turned his back to the Team and walked closer to the training dummy, placing his hand on top of it and taking a deep breath, clearly remembering what had happened next. "He told me I had until tomorrow to make my decision." Roy suddenly turned and faced his Team again, noticing that they were all looking at him, waiting to see what his answer would be. "I won't. There is nothing that he can do that will make me give up this Team. You guys are the only family I have and I will  _not_  let  _that man_  ruin the only good thing I have!" Roy said with conviction. He wanted them to know that there was  _no way_  he was going to help his dad complete his mission! **  
**

"Roy, we know that you would never do anything to hurt any of us." Felicity said as she gave him a reassuring smile. "What we need to know is how we can help."

Roy took a sudden step towards them as he remembered something else his dad had said.

"We need to get Thea under more protection!" Roy stated, suddenly worried for his girlfriend. He instantly saw the same look of concern mirrored on Oliver's face.

"Why?" Oliver demanded to know.

"He said..." Roy took a deep breath and swallowed, attempting to keep his emotions - and his anger - under control. "...he said if I didn't cooperate he would hurt people I cared about. That means Thea." Roy stated.

"Is there anyone else that will need protection?" Diggle asked as he pulled his phone out to make the necessary phone calls.

"Sin." Roy answered as he looked at Sara. "She would be the only other person outside the Team that he could try to use to get to me. I don't have anyone else." He hung his head at the final statement. He really didn't have many people that he trusted, cared about. This Team, Thea, and Sin were the only people in the world that cared about what happened to him.

Felicity's heart broke for Roy at his admission at not having many people that cared about him. There was the Team, Thea, and Sin. That was only six people in the whole world that cared anything about this young man standing before them. She suddenly rose from her chair and walked over to Roy, wrapping him in a tight hug.

"You have us Roy." Felicity said quietly. She held onto him tightly, and could see Diggle, Oliver, and Sara move to place their hands on his shoulders. "Nothing will ever change that. You're part of our Team, our  _family_ , we will  _always_ be here for you, whether you need us or not!" She finally felt some of the tension slowly melting away from Roy after a moment.

"She's right Roy." Oliver added. "We will  _always_  have you're back, just as you've had ours."

"Thanks guys." Roy said as he finally pulled away from Felicity. He knew that if he allowed her to hug him too long then Oliver would start to get overprotective of her again and he did  _not_  want that. "It really means a lot to me, knowing you're there for me."

Diggle smiled reassuringly. "I'll call the mansion and make sure things are set for Thea. I'll have them keep her at the mansion for now."

"And I'll go find Sin." Sara sad as she turned to grab her leather jacket.

"Take her to the mansion too. She's friends with Thea right?" Oliver asked, knowing that the Queen mansion was the safest place for the women right now.  _ **  
**_

"Yeah." Roy answered, thankful that his Team knew exactly what to do to help.

Diggle and Sara both turned to take care of their respective tasks. Oliver turned to Felicity and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before turning to Roy.

"You look like you need to work off some steam." Oliver said to the younger man as he walked towards the training mats. "Want to spar?"

"Yeah, I really need to hit something right now!" Roy admitted a little too quickly before he realized that he would be hitting Oliver. He turned to Felicity at her small laugh.

"Don't worry Roy." Felicity said with a smile. "Even if you do hurt him it will serve him right."

Roy's mouth dropped open at that comment. He couldn't believe what she had just said.

"What?!" Oliver asked, attempting to sound offended which instead just came across as comic relief to Roy and he laughed in response.

"I said that if he hurts you then it serves you right!" Felicity said with an ornery smile, her eyes shining with joy. "You spend hours showing off your superior fighting skills and flaunting that perfect body in front of me on the Salmon Ladder. It's time someone took your ego down a notch."

"Okay guys, really. I'm standing right here!" Roy said, attempting to sound offended. If anyone asked him he would vehemently deny the fact that he enjoyed the constant ribbing between the two, as long as it didn't get too mushy. "Digg, help me out here man!" He said as he turned to the other man, only to realize he was on the phone and in no mood to get in the middle of what was going on.

"Come on Roy. Felicity needs to get back to work... admiring my abs!" Oliver said quite seriously, earning him a glare from the IT Tech. "Come show me what you've got."

Roy took the bait and moved to the edge of the training mats where he paused for a moment, trying to decide if he would remove his shirt as all the guys usually did when training. After only a moment he decided to keep it on as he suspected that he would have a nasty bruise forming where his dad had punched him in the gut. He moved on to the mats to face Oliver and was happy that even if Oliver noticed his hesitation, which he probably did as he had ninja skills according to Felicity, he didn't mention it. Nor did he mention the fact that Roy kept his shirt on. He simply moved into a fighting stance, that Roy mirrored, and the sparring began.

Oliver had noticed Roy's hesitation on the mats and realized that the kid was trying to decide whether or not to remove his shirt. Although he kept his face carefully neutral he was worried about his Teammate. He had suspected that Roy had been punched, probably in the gut, pretty hard and knew of only one way to find out without asking Roy straight up about it. After a couple of minutes of sparring Oliver placed a well-aimed hit to Roy's stomach. He was impressed with the fact that Roy was able to keep from crying out in pain, however, he still noticed the look of pain in his face and how he stepped away, holding his abdomen, for a moment before turning back ready to continue.

Oliver chose not to say anything but his suspicion had just been confirmed. Roy's dad had hit him, and that revelation enraged him. He found himself wondering just what lengths the man would go to to get his own way. 


	4. Demons

Roy and Oliver trained for almost two full hours, Roy was needing to let off some steam, and Oliver knew that Roy would need sleep too but would have to be completely exhausted first or it would never happen. Diggle had only stuck around for a few minutes before he headed out to make sure the security at the house was adequate enough. Sara had checked in after an hour informing them that she had found Sin and both women were now headed to the mansion. There was nothing left to do but train, sleep, and wait for Felicity's computers to find something.

Felicity watched as the guys trained. She could still see the anger rolling off of Roy and wished that there was something that she could do to help him, but she knew that Oliver was probably doing the best thing right now in giving Roy something to hit. She noticed on more than one occasion that Roy was able to get in a good punch or kick and she suspected that Oliver was allowing it to happen as he didn't normally end up losing to anyone but Sara. She thought that Oliver might be a bit sore later on, but the hits wouldn't do any real damage. She finally tore her eyes away from the two men and went back to work, following more leads on this man that was Roy's dad. She just hoped that by the time Roy passed out she would have some useful information to share with Oliver.

Oliver pushed Roy harder than usual. He was trying to make the kid reach complete exhaustion so that he would be able to sleep. He was careful, however, to not land any more blows to the area of Roy's torso that seemed to be sore. He didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to it as he could see it might bring up painful memories for the kid, and right now he was trying to help Roy forget.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Roy was exhausted. Oliver had pinned him on the floor, again, and this time Roy wasn't sure he would be able to peel himself back off of the floor by himself. He lay there for a moment to regain his breath, before Oliver reached out to give him a hand up. Roy took it willingly and Oliver easily pulled him to his feet. He was sore, but exhausted.  _Maybe I'll be able to make it through the night after all._  Roy thought to himself as he grabbed a drink of water.

"Why don't you go grab a shower then crash on the cot." Oliver suggested, as he downed his own bottle of water.

"Sure." Roy agreed quickly. "It sure beats going home." He muttered to himself as he went to the bathroom to shower.

Oliver watched as Roy walked away. He really felt for the young man, even though he didn't know everything that Roy was going through, he could see the demons that the kid was warring with inside. He could see it because he had been there himself with his own demons. He simply hoped that he would be able to help Roy overcome them and grow stronger in spite of them.

"Is he going to be okay?" Felicity asked, her concern evident. Oliver walked over and sat on the desk next to her before he answered.

"He's fighting some pretty strong demons." Oliver said as Felicity turned in her chair and leaned back to look up at him. "Once he figures out how to face them and fight them he will be fine."

"Any idea what's going on?" Felicity asked.

"I suspect something but..." Oliver started to explain before coming to the conclusion that it wasn't his place to start making assumptions. They would have to wait for Roy to open up.

"But you don't want to say anything until you know for sure, or he opens up about it." Felicity commented, proving to Oliver that she really did understand him.

"When I came back from the Lian Yu I had my own demons to fight." Oliver reached out for her hand, holding it gently in his. "You and Diggle were there for me. You knew that bad things had happened and yet you didn't push me about it. Not too much anyway. I think if you had I would have closed myself off even more and my demons would have eaten me alive."

"And you want to make sure we do the same thing for Roy." Felicity stated, again knowing what Oliver was thinking.

"He needs to know that we are there for him whenever he  _is_  ready to talk but that we won't push him about his past. Digg, Sara, me... we don't talk about our pasts and no one pushes for details. We, as a Team, need to do the same for him." Oliver stated with conviction as he locked eyes with Felicity.

Felicity simply smiled back at Oliver. He was clearly remembering all the demons he had faced himself after his time on the Island and she was beyond happy that he had found a way to move past them. She knew that Oliver would be able to do the same for Roy, if he let him.

"Have you found anything?" Oliver asked, changing the subject, even if only slightly.

"I have a couple leads on where he could be staying but nothing definite yet." Felicity said as she turned back to her computer, enjoying the feel of Oliver's hand on her shoulder as he shifted to be able to see the computer screens as well. "I'm running his picture through all facial recognition programs, A.R.G.U.S., Interpol, FBI, and any others I can sneak into. I haven't found anything yet but I will."

"I trust you." Oliver said as he smiled at her. "What about their history here in Starling?"  _ **  
**_

"Of course!" Felicity said with a hint of disbelief. "Why didn't _I_ think of that?!"

"Because you were trying to figure out what he looked like and where he is right now." Oliver said with a short laugh. "I think I remember Thea saying something about how Roy's mom died of an overdose. Why don't you check DEA files to see if there is anything there."

"Okay." Felicity said, already somewhat distracted as she started to type furiously at her keyboard.

"One more thing." Oliver said as he stood from his place on her desk. She looked up at him, encouraging him to continue his train of thought as he now seemed hesitant. "Check the DA's and Courthouse files too, see if the family ended up in court for anything."  _ **  
**_

"Anything specific?" Felicity asked, having a feeling that this had to do with his hunch that he wouldn't explain.

"Just see what you can find." Oliver answered gently, attempting to add a smile but failing, before walking away.

Roy emerged, freshly showered, a few short minutes later to find Felicity typing furiously at her computer, Oliver was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Oliver?" Roy asked, surprised that he wasn't in the lair.

"He went upstairs to get something." Felicity explained, only glancing up from her screens for a second. "Seems we ran out of vodka down here."

Roy brought a chair over to where Felicity was sitting at her computers, still working.

"Have you found anything?" Roy asked quietly, almost afraid of what she had uncovered.

"Not yet Roy, but I will. There's nowhere on earth he can hide where I won't find him." Felicity told him determinedly.

"I'm sure that's true." Roy said with a forced laugh. He was tired, worried, and was having a hard time keeping the memories at bay now that he didn't have anything to focus on. "Is there anything that you need from me?" He asked, almost afraid she would say yes.

"No." Felicity turned to Roy with an encouraging smile. "I'm just waiting for my searches to come up with something. It's just a waiting game now."

"How about some vodka while we wait?" Oliver asked as he finished descending the stairs. He watched as Felicity rose to get three glasses for them and was hardly surprised that she would be joining them.

Oliver, Felicity, and Roy all settled down for some of Oliver's favorite Russian vodka. Roy knew that this was Oliver's drink of choice when it came to talking about something difficult and simply hoped that they wouldn't press him for details.

"To friends." Oliver said as he raised his shot glass. He smiled at Roy and Felicity before downing it. The other two followed suite, each setting down their glasses with a loud thunk. Oliver filled them again.

"To the Family that we  _choose_ for ourselves." Felicity said with a smile, thinking of Team Arrow and how they were all closer than a real family. Oliver and Roy both nodded their heads in agreement before downing the next shot, again setting down their glasses with a thunk. This time Roy was the one to fill the glasses.

"To always having each other's backs." Roy said thoughtfully as he raised his glass one last time. Felicity and Oliver again nodded their heads in agreement, knowing exactly what Roy meant.

The trio sat in silence for a few minutes. Oliver and Felicity were thinking about what, if anything, they could say to help Roy right now, again reading each other's thoughts and keeping silent, waiting for him to open up if he wanted to. Roy was lost in his own thoughts about his dad and the unpleasant memories that having him back in town brought back to the surface. He was more thankful than he could say that Oliver and Felicity were not throwing questions at him right now as he really didn't want to talk about it.

"I think I'm going to go lay down." Roy finally said as he stood. "Thanks for the vodka Oliver."

"Yep, anytime." Oliver replied with an encouraging smile. "Felicity and I will probably be here all night working on her research." Oliver told his younger Teammate. He wanted Roy to know that they were still here for him without embarrassing him.

"Thanks for the heads up." Roy said as he turned to go lay down on the cot in the corner.

"Goodnight Roy." Felicity called after him.

"Night Felicity."

Oliver and Felicity settled into the desk chairs in front of Felicity's computers and simply held hands, Oliver rubbing his thumb over Felicity's engagement ring, as they waited for the searches to come up with something. Oliver had turned off half of the lights in the lair to hopefully allow Roy to sleep more easily. He was keeping an eye on the young man who was now sleeping in the corner while at the same time listening to Felicity quietly talk about wedding details. They sat in quiet conversation for the better part of three hours before Oliver suddenly tensed.

"Oliver, what's wrong?" Felicity asked, sensing the change in her fiancé.

"Roy's having a nightmare." Oliver answered as he stood.

"How do you know?" Felicity wasn't sure how he could tell as she hadn't even seen Roy move or heard him in hours.

"His breathing just got faster and he's twitching." Oliver explained as he started to walk quietly towards the cot. "You have enough nightmares yourself and you know how to identify them in others."

Oliver heard the door at the top of the stairs open and Sara start down into the lair, but remained intent on the young man just in front of him. Just as he stepped around the computer desk they heard the first sounds from Roy in hours.

"NO! Don't hurt her!"


	5. Nightmare

At Roy's scream Oliver stepped up to the younger man and placed a hand on his shoulder to wake him.

"Roy, wake up!" Oliver said forcefully. He noticed that Roy's eyes immediately shot open and he ducked just in time to avoid a hit to his jaw in response. Not even half a second later Sara was at his side.

"Roy! Roy wake up!" Sara called to her Teammate. She had just gotten back to the lair when Roy had called out and she had immediately stepped forwardto help Oliver if needed. She was glad she had as Roy had become violent at the sound of his voice. She looked up and met Oliver's eyes, who had moved to stand behind Roy, and noticed a look of concern in his face. She had a feeling that Oliver knew what was going on. He nodded to her, telling her to continue to get through to Roy who seemed to have reacted differently, non-violently, to the sound of her voice.

"Roy, it's okay. You're safe." Sara said calmly. "No one's here to hurt you Roy. You're safe, you're in the lair." Sara repeated the reassuring words over and over and was happy to see Roy starting to calm. His breathing was still rapid, and he was still tense, but he was finally coming to his senses. She noticed the moment he was fully awake and aware of what was going on and the look in his eyes turned from fear to shame and guilt.

Roy finally came fully awake to see Sara kneeling next to the cot he had been sleeping on. His heart was racing and his breath was ragged. He suddenly realized what had happened and immediately looked away from her concerned gaze. He swallowed hard, trying to get his emotions under control before he said anything. Suddenly he remembered that he had swung at someone, probably Oliver as it had sounded like a man, and jerked his head up and looked around. As he turned his head Oliver stepped around into his line of sight.

"I'm..." Roy swallowed again, he felt so ashamed that he had not only had a nightmare in the lair, about his past, but he had swung at Oliver who was only trying to help. "I'm sorry Oliver! I didn't mean to swing at you." He lowered his gaze again, feeling guilty for how he had reacted to his Teammate, his mentor, who had only been trying to help.

Oliver could see that Roy was battling his emotions again. He could see how badly the kid was struggling right now and knew that there was only one way that he could help Roy at the moment. He looked up to Sara and nodded towards the door, silently telling her that they need a few minutes to talk. Sara rose and walked towards Felicity, who was standing next to her computers, her eyes bright with unshed tears, and laid a hand on her shoulder.  _ **  
**_

"Why don't we go upstairs and get some coffee." Sara suggested. Felicity's only response was a small nod of her head before she grabbed her tablet and the two women turned and left the lair, leaving Oliver and Roy in peace. As they climbed the stairs Sara sent a quick text to Diggle to let them know they were in the club and to come there first when he got back.

Oliver moved silently across the lair, back to the bottle of vodka on Felicity's table. He poured two glasses and settled into a chair, Roy hadn't moved but Oliver hoped he would join him shortly. He stared thoughtfully at the clear liquid in his glass for a moment before he spoke.

"My first night at the mansion after the Island I had a really bad nightmare." Oliver began quietly, just loud enough for Roy to hear what he was saying. "I had decided to sleep on the floor by the open window because my bed was too comfortable, I was used to sleeping on hard stone and packed earth. A big storm rolled in and the sound of the rain must have triggered the nightmare. It was of the night the Gambit went down. We were in the middle of a category two storm when everything happened and the sound of the rain that night must have triggered the memory." Oliver paused for a moment, looking to a far corner of the lair. Roy had come to join him while he was talking but Oliver chose not to look at him, somewhat lost in his own memories. _ **  
**_

"I was in the middle of the nightmare when suddenly I woke up to find my Momon the floor with my hand crushing her windpipe and Walter looking at me like I was insane. I came to before I could do any real damage but I couldn't believe what I had done. If I hadn't have snapped out of it I would have killed my own mother on my first night back home from the Island. I was so afraid that they would see me as damaged after that, especially if they knew what I had gone through during those five years." Oliver then looked at Roy. "It took me a long time before I realized that I was wrong. They don't see me as damaged, or weak, because they know who I am today and how those experiences changed me, made me stronger."

Oliver looked back down to his glass for a moment before downing his drink. Roy was sitting quietly, lost in his own thoughts, as he stared at his hands.

"How do you deal with it?" Roy asked quietly. "The nightmares?"

"It's not easy." Oliver explained carefully, trying to make sure he said the right thing that would actually help Roy. "For a long time I'd have them every night. They would be different, most of the time something would happen that would trigger a memory. After time I developed relationships, I made friends, and they were just there for me. They would let me talk when I needed to and not judge me for things that had happened in the past."

"Diggle and Felicity." Roy stated, knowing that they were who Oliver was talking about.

"Yeah." Oliver confirmed. "And Sara when she came back to Starling. We all have things in our past that we are not proud of or that haunt us. We each find a different way of dealing with it." Oliver thought for a moment before he spoke again. "How did you get past the nightmares before?"

"What makes you think I had them before?" Roy asked defensively, before noticing Oliver's raised eyebrow and the look that clearly said he wasn't fooling anyone. "I don't know. I think it was when I started helping people. I'd come across someone in the Glades being mugged, or beat up, and would step in. I would always sleep good that night. Just knowing that I was making a difference, even a small one, really helped. I was finally able to actually  _do_  something and it would matter to someone."

"Something else that's helped meis just having Felicity around." Oliver said with a small smile. "She's my constant reminder that there is good in this world. She's the light that always brings me back from the darkness and she  _always_  sees the good in me. I would honestly still be lost in the darkness of my past if it weren't for her." Oliver poured one more shot of vodka for himself. "Thea does that for you too. I've seen it." Roy nodded his head in agreement. "She loves you Roy. I know I haven't always been supportive of you two, but I can now tell you honestly that I don't think my sister could find anyone that is better for her than you are!"

"She deserves better." Roy said quietly, just before downing his shot of vodka.

"You know, I told Felicity the same thing." Oliver said with a laugh as they both knew how  _that_ had turned out.

"What if she doesn't want me?" Roy asked, tears welling up in his eyes, he blinked to keep them from spilling over. "What if she can't stand me once she finds out about my past?"

"Something I've learned about love is that it doesn't matter who you were or what you did in the past. What matters is the person that you are today. I know for a fact that Felicity would never have even given me the time of day before the Gambit, and she really didn't care for who I was when I came back. It wasn't until after the Undertaking, when  _I_  began to change, that things changed between us." Oliver stood and placed a hand on Roy's shoulder. "Thea loves you for who you are  _today_ , not for what happened in your past."

Roy sat quietly with his own thoughts as Oliver picked up his bow and a few arrows. He watched as his mentor made a couple of small adjustments to the bow as he did a bit of target practice.  _If Oliver can come through the experiences from the Island and still be as strong_ _as his is today,_ _then maybe there is hope for me too._  He thought to himself.

It was a couple of minutes later that the men heard the door at the top of the stairs open and Felicity's familiar voice called down.

"Oliver?" Felicity asked cautiously. She didn't want to interrupt if they were still talking.

"You can come on down Felicity." Oliver called to her as he turned to put his bow away. He turned to her and smiled as she descended the stairs with Sara and Diggle close behind her.

"Okay good because my babies just found something."


	6. Results

"What do you have Felicity?" Oliver asked as he went to stand next to her at her computer desk, resting a hand on the back of her chair. The rest of the Team gathered around her as well as she pulled up several things on her monitors.

"I know who Roy's dad is. Well, I mean besides his dad, because he's obviously that. I mean they look alike and everything, so they're definitely related..."

"Felicity!" Oliver called her name, stopping her rambling.  _Being told he's just like his dad isn't helping matters._  He thought to himself as he saw Roy tense at the words. "Results?"

"Right." Felicity said, her face red as she realized what she had just said. "Sorry. So, he doesn't go by Roy Harper Sr. anymore." Felicity started as she was pulling up the information on her computers. "A.R.G.U.S. has been looking for him for several years. They are calling him 'The Dealer'. He's been involved in dealing weapons and drugs for over twenty years." She took a moment to look up and catch Oliver's eyes. They both knew what that meant, that this man had been doing this since Roy was born, maybe even before. Oliver gave her a reassuring smile and she continued.

"He was married to Susan Harper and they had one child." At this Felicity looked up to Roy and smiled at him before she continued. "Roy Harper Sr..."

"Can we just call him 'The Dealer'...please." Roy asked, needing to think of this man as someone other than his father.

"Okay." Felicity agreed easily after seeing the pained expression on Roy's face. "The Dealer went missing about eight years ago. They suspect that he was involved with a drug cartel from Mexico and something went wrong. He must have gone into hiding. He was presumed dead by the SCPD in a drug related incident. He started to show up on A.R.G.U.S.'s radar one year later in 2007 as a weapons dealer. He had sold a missile launcher to a man named Edward Fyers which is what brought him to the attention of Waller."

Felicity was so engrossed in passing along the information that she missed the subtle change in Oliver at the mention of Fyers. Diggle and Sara however did not, and Diggle had to wonder exactly what memories his young partner was thinking about now.

"Apparently he spent the next several years building up his arms business with only the occasional foray into drugs." At the mention of this Felicity looked up to Oliver and he could see that her face had drained of color.

"Felicity?" Oliver asked, clearly concerned. "What is it?"

"Um," Felicity swallowed hard before continuing. "He is the one who helped Count Vertigo get started, helped him develop his formula."

The lair fell into such complete silence that you could have heard a pin drop. They could all remember what havoc Count Vertigo had unleashed upon Starling. Thea had almost been killed because of the drug, the Count had injected Oliver with an overdose of Vertigo, and he had nearly killed Felicity because of it as well. He was the reason that Oliver killed again after his second return from the Island, after he promised to change in honor of Tommy.

"My dad, The Dealer, was responsible for  _that_?" Roy asked shocked. He couldn't believe that his dad had been a part of  _that_. He turned and stalked away from the Team, unleashing his anger on the training dummy that just happened to be closest to him.

The Team watched in silence, unsure of what to do to help, as Roy attacked the training dummy. They could see the rage rolling off the young man in waves. Finally, after a few minutes, Roy started to calm down. He stood in silence for a moment as he got his emotions under control before turning back to the Team.

"I need some air." Roy said as he grabbed his hoodie and headed to the door. "I'm going outside."

Sara and Diggle looked to Oliver, clearly concerned for their younger Teammate.

"I'm going to go keep an eye on him just in case." Sara said quietly before turning to follow Roy out. Oliver knew that she would stay out of sight and would be able to keep an eye out for The Dealer just in case he chose to come around.

"Thank you Sara." Oliver said in response, clearly thankful that she had thought to look out for him.

"It's been a while since we've had some food." Diggle stated, he knew that there wasn't much he could do here at the moment so he decided to do the one thing that he knew would help, especially as it was getting to be really early morning by that point. "I'm gonna go grab us some breakfast."

Once Roy, Sara, and Diggle had left the lair Oliver turned back to Felicity.

"What else did you find?" Oliver asked her. She still looked pale so he placed a hand gently on her cheek and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"It's nothing." Felicity said, unsure if she should share what else had come up in her searches.

"Felicity, I know you're holding something back." Oliver said gently as he lowered himself into a chair next to her so he could look her in the eyes more easily. "I need to know exactly what you've found so that I know better how to deal with this man."

Felicity knew that he was right, still, she hated revealing things about people that weren't her place to share. She also knew that this was probably what Roy had been talking about when he said he couldn't face this alone.

"Felicity." Oliver said gently, taking her hand in his. "I suspect that Roy's dad did some horrible things before he disappeared and I need to know if I'm right."

"Okay." Felicity said, nodding her head slightly. "Roy's mom died about five years ago from a drug overdose. Apparently Roy Sr. got her hooked originally and she was never able to stop. I also have her medical files." Felicity pulled her hand out of Oliver's and turned back to her computer, bringing up said documents. "It appears that she suffered from multiple cracked ribs, a bruised collarbone on several occasions, and broken bones on multiple occasions, not to mention she was almost always covered in bruises. Apparently she said she fell - a lot."

"He abused her." Oliver stated coldly.

"Apparently." Felicity said quietly as she turned to look at Oliver, tears evident in her voice. "Roy?"

"That's what I suspected." Oliver said as he reached for her hand to comfort her. "When he first called us it sounded like someone had knocked the wind out of him. Probably a well-aimed hit to his torso. I didn't want to ask him so I tested my theory another way."

"You hit him where you thought he had already been hurt." Felicity stated. She had seen it happen and had simply thought that Oliver had caught Roy off guard. Now, as she recalled the incident, she remembered Roy's reaction, how he had bent over in pain, holding his torso. He didn't usually react that way and now she knew why he had.

"It was the only way I could think of to confirm my suspicion without having to actually ask him." Oliver said quietly. He had hated having to do it that way, especially as he knew now that he had been right.

"Is that why you avoided hitting him there afterwards?" Felicity asked.

"Yes." Oliver answered, surprised that she had noticed. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, each lost in their own thoughts.

"His nightmare." Felicity said suddenly. "Do you think..."

"Yes." Oliver answered her before she could even finish her question. "I think that when his dad hit him it brought all those memories that he had spent years burying back to the surface. He was clearly remembering his dad abusing his mom."


	7. Instincts

Roy put his hoodie on as he walked up the stairs and out of the lair. He headed straight outside and quickly climbed the fire escape of a neighboring building. Once he reached the roof he walked to the far edge and looked over a sleeping city.

"You don't have to babysit me you know." Roy said after a moment of silence. He knew that Sara had followed him and was now standing in the shadows. He wasn't as clueless as they thought.

"You're getting smarter than you look." Sara said as she walked slowly out of the shadows and towards her young Teammate.

"Did Oliver send you?"

"No." Sara said as she came to stand next to Roy. "I chose to come and make sure you weren't alone."

"Well what if I want to be alone?" Roy asked. He needed to think and figure out what he was going to do. He wasn't sure he could do that with the Team watching his every move.

"Then I'll leave you alone." Sara responded. "But only if you really mean it." Sara knew that sometimes all a person needed was space, however, with The Dealer out there she wasn't sure it was such a good idea. "Look, Roy, if you need space I get it. We all need space at times. I just want you to know that you're not alone, that we're here for you if you ever want to talk. We won't push for answers and we won't judge you." Sara turned to go back to her perch in the shadows, however, Roy spoke before she got too far.

"You can stay for now Sara." Roy said almost in a whisper. He didn't bother saying it too loud as he knew she would hear him anyway, her hearing was almost as good as Oliver's after all.

Sara smiled to herself before she went to sit near, but not too close to, Roy on the edge of the roof. They each sat in silence, Roy lost in his own thoughts, his memories, and Sara simply being there in case he wanted to talk.

* * *

As Roy sat on the edge of the roof he couldn't help remembering the incident from his past that he had just seen in his nightmare. He remembered it as clearly as it was yesterday. He had been about ten at the time. His dad had come home high from his newest drug, his mom was sitting on the couch, wasted, and Roy had been in his room, trying to get his homework done. He suddenly heard raised voices from the other room. His dad was yelling at his mom for not having dinner on the table when he had gotten home. Instead she was high again.

"You useless, ungrateful  _bitch_!" Roy had heard his dad yell, again. He quietly opened his bedroom door and snuck his way down the hall to see what was happening. "I provide a roof over your head, food for you to eat, everything you could ever want and what do  _I_  get in return? A wife who doesn't care about anything other than herself! Do you not like the things that I provide for you?" Roy's dad had gotten closer to his mom. He was now directly in front of her, yelling in her face. The yelling from his dad caused his mom to suddenly become more aware of what was going on around her, although she was still high from whatever drug his dad had given her this time.

"Roy... of course I'm thankful." His mom stammered as she tried to back away from his dad.

"How can you say that?" Roy Sr. screamed as he leaned in closer again, putting his hands on either side of her head on the back of the couch, pinning her in place. "If you were grateful then you would be in the kitchen, making me food. I spend  _all_  day, slaving away, to give you the things that you want and yet you never  _once_  tell me you're thankful for what I do for you, for Roy. All you two ever do is disappoint me! Is it too much to ask to have a family that actually says  _Thank You_  once in a while instead of running to their room, or sniffing drugs, every time I come home!"

"I'm.. I'm sorry Roy." Young Roy heard his mom say quietly as she sat shaking in front of his dad. "I'll go make you dinner now. What would you like?" She asked warily, it was clear what kind of mood her husband was in tonight. She started to wriggle her way out from under her husband, who still had her pinned down on the couch. Roy saw his dad grab her arm tightly, eliciting a wince from her, as he pulled her roughly from the couch. The momentum from being pulled off the couch, along with her lack of awareness caused by the drugs, caused her to stumble and when his dad released her arm she stumbled to the floor and hit her head on the coffee table on her way down. Roy watched as she lay, silent and un-moving, for a full minute before finally she came to and began to sit up. It was as she started to pull herself to a sitting position that his dad looked down at her.

"Get up woman." Roy Sr. said as he reached down to grab her and pull her to her feet again. Roy watched as she started to back away from him again. His dad reached out and grabbed her by her hair. "I said  _get up_!" He yelled.

At that moment Roy decided that he couldn't watch this anymore. He quickly stepped out from his hiding place in the hall. "NO! Don't hurt her!" Roy yelled at his dad.

* * *

Roy clearly remembered that it was at this point that Oliver put a hand on his shoulder and called his name. It was the same thing his dad had done, grabbed his shoulder and yelled his name, right before punching him. This is why Roy had swung out. He still felt horribly for that.

"I didn't mean to swing at him you know." Roy said quietly. "At Oliver."

"I know." Sara responded just as quietly, enjoying watching the sun as it rose over the still sleeping city in front of them.

"He told me he did the same thing. Right after he got home." Roy told her.

"We both have done it." Sara confirmed just as quietly. "Our nightmares are real to us. We had to live through those things and we can still clearly remember what we heard, saw, and even what we felt. We had to live so long on instinct, on the defense. When we are suddenly woken from a nightmare where we are reliving one of the things we had to go through, we lash out the same way we would have at whatever point in the past we are remembering. It's instinct for us. It's easier to control ourselves when we are awake as we are aware of what is going on around us, we can think through our response. We can't do that when we are asleep. You simply reacted on instinct and Oliver knows that Roy."

The two Teammates sat in silence as they watched the sun paint the sky brilliant shades of red and orange as the sun shone on the quiet city before them.

"You know he's not going to let you go alone right?" Sara asked him, knowing that Roy would understand she was referring to his inevitable meeting with his dad today.

"I know. I wish he would." Roy responded, clearly remembering the threat from his dad not even twenty four hours previously.

Before Sara had a chance to respond her phone rang and she stood and walked away for a moment.

"I need to go pick something up." Sara said as she walked back to where Roy was sitting. "Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Roy answered, not wanting her to worry. "I'll come in soon. I just need a few more minutes."

"Okay, be safe Roy." Sara said as she made her way down the fire escape and away on her bike.


	8. Peace

Roy sat in silence for several minutes and watched the sleeping city wake. It was in the early hours of the day that Starling City was the most peaceful. The sky was just changing from the brilliant colors of sunrise to the different shades of blue that come with early morning. The city was at peace, and the Team should have been as well, but they weren't. Because of him and his drug and weapons dealing, abusive father his Team was on edge.

He couldn't believe that every time the Team thought they were safe, that they could enjoy some peace, something happened to rob them of that. This time it was Roy's dad threatening the life of Oliver and the Team. Oliver and Felicity didn't deserve this, they had just found their complete happiness with each other and were on their way to living happily ever after. Now all ofthat was threatened because of Roy. As he watched the city wake he thought of the night that Oliver had finally proposed.

_**One Month Ago...** _

_Oliver had had Felicity's engagement ring for a month now. He had also been trying to pop the question for the same amount of time, however, every time he tried to do so something happened and the date was cut short, or even cancelled. Oliver had spent the last seven days complaining about how he couldn't seem to make it happen. That was when Thea, Roy, Diggle, and Sara called a meeting. They came up with a plan that they ran by Oliver, although he didn't really have any say over the matter, and the preparations began._

_Thea, Sara, and Felicity were preparing for a special party of just the Queen and Lance families as well as Team Arrow. At least that's what Felicity had been told. A simple 'happy we're not being held hostage by a maniac' party really, although since the Queen's were hosting it was a very formal affair. While the girls were getting ready,_ _the guys were decorating the lair_ _and trying to keep Oliver from pacing a trench into the concrete floor. Roy had_ never  _seen Oliver as nervous as he was that night. Finally Diggle managed to talk the man into a shower and changing into his tux while they waited to hear from Sara._

_Finally the lair was ready, Oliver was dressed, and the women were close. Roy and Diggle left Oliver in the lair and went up to the club to greet the women when they arrived a few short minutes later._

_"Where's Oliver?" Felicity had asked when she realized the man in question was nowhere_ _in sight._

_"He's downstairs. He asked that you go down there and help him with something as soon as you arrived so that you could both be available when the rest of the guests arrive." Diggle said in his best bodyguard voice._

_"Please tell me it's not another mission." Felicity pleaded as she headed for the back door. She was too distracted trying to figure out what Oliver could possibly need tonight that couldn't wait one more night. As soon as she was out of sight the Team, including Thea, made their way, very quickly, to the office where they had the video feed from the lair up. If anyone asked the excuse was that Felicity would want a record of this happening so they were simply recording it for her. They would just have to watch closely to make sure they got the whole thing._

_Felicity started her descent of the stairs rather quickly, however, she slowed considerably when she heard_ _the sounds of soft, romantic, instrumental music filling the lair. She paused halfway down the stairs as the lair came into full view and the sight before her took her breath away. There were candles of all different shapes and sizes covering every inch of flat surface, the only light in the lair. At the bottom of the stairs there was a path of white rose petals that led to the center of the room, where the man of her dreams stood. She looked at Oliver. He was decked out in his best tuxedo with a dark green tie to complete the look. But what really took her breath away, what caused her heart to beat frantically and her breathing to become unsteady, was the look of pure love that was on his face. He smiled at her, a smile that reached his blue eyes and made them light up, a real smile._

_Oliver's nervousness intensified one thousand percent when he heard the door at the top of the stairs open. He could tell from the click of the heels on the stairs that Felicity was coming down. He watched, transfixed, as she slowly came into view. First he saw her black dress sandals, decked in rhinestones that sparkled in the candlelight. As she stepped down another stair he could see the bottom of her floor-length_ _gown. When she stopped two steps later he had followed the slit in the dress up to where it stopped at her thigh. As his gaze traveled up further he noticed that the gown fit her like a glove, showing off every single curve. It was a very simple dress with small, off the shoulder, sleeves and it just happened to be the same deep green as his suit in the case just to his right. She wore a simple emerald necklace that he had given her shortly after they defeated Slade and her hair was down in waves around her shoulders. As his eyes met hers his breath caught in his throat and he could feel is heart racing as he saw the shock which morphed into a look of such love that he thought his heart was going to stop altogether._

_Finally he blinked, bringing him out of his trance and he took a step forward, reaching out a hand to her, encouraging her to come to him. She obliged and slowly descended the remaining steps, not once taking her eyes from Oliver's. Finally her hand slipped into his and he drew her into the middle of the lair._

_"Oliver?" Felicity asked, obviously curious as to what was going on. Roy laughed as Thea let out a squeal of delight at watching this all unfold before their eyes._

_"Felicity." Everyone in the office of Verdant could have sworn that of the many times they had heard Oliver say Felicity's name, it had_ never  _sounded like that. He had said her name with anticipation, nervousness, and pure love. The kid was definitely head over heels in love with the woman before him._

_"For the last month I have been trying to find a time where we can be alone without being interrupted by Arrow work. Our lives have been crazy the last few months and I finally decided that enough was enough. It was time I had a few moments alone with the woman who has stolen my heart."_

_"Oliver?" Felicity said his name hesitantly. She didn't know where he was going with this or what he was trying to tell her and it was making her nervous._

_"Do you remember the first time we met?" Oliver asked her as he took both her hands in his, drawing her closer to him._

_"Yes, in my office in the IT department at QC." Felicity answered with a smile. "You brought me a laptop riddled with bullet holes and claimed you spilled coffee on it."_

_"When I walked into your office that day my life changed. I met this bubbly blonde, in a pink shirt, hair in a ponytail, with glasses and a red_ _pen in her mouth. This blonde's rambling brought out the first real smile I had worn in_ five years _. She listened to my bullshit about a computer that had coffee spilled on it, a treasure hunt, a friend who liked to shoot arrows, and an energy drink in a syringe." Oliver laughed at all the horrible cover stories that he had told her and yet she never called him out on._

 _"This same blonde saved my life one night. She found me laying in the back of her itty bitty car in the Queen Consolidated parking garage after my own mother shot me in self-defense_ _. She brought me here, without question, when I asked her to and I'm alive today because she stayed until I woke up. That night that remarkable woman, you, became a permanent part of my life. You help me each and every night with my father's list. You've guided me through missions where I would have been injured, or even killed, if you weren't there to guide and help me. You help patch me up when I get hurt, and are there to yell at me when it was because of something stupid that I did." Oliver took a deep breath and smiled as he placed a gentle hand on her cheek, noting her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Felicity, you followed me to Lian Yu after the Undertaking to convince me to come home. You showed me that the darkness doesn't have to control me, that I could be something,_ someone _, better. You remind me of all the good in the world and for some crazy reason you've stuck by me when two of my worst enemies tried to kill me and everyone I care about."_

 _"Felicity, without you I am just a shell of a man. It's only because of_ you  _that I am the man that I am today. I know I don't deserve such a remarkable woman as you, and you deserve someone that is so much better than me. Someone who isn't broken and damaged. Yet you're still here, with me, despite everything." Oliver reached into his pocket as he lowered himself down onto one knee. He opened the box in his hand and looked up to meet Felicity's eyes. "And so, Felicity, I lay my heart at your feet and simply ask you one question... Will you be_ my  _girl_?  _Always? Will you marry me?"_

_The entire Team in the office of Verdant held their breath. They had never heard Oliver open up like he just had with Felicity and they knew already what the blonde's reaction would be to the heartfelt words from Oliver. They weren't disappointed as less than a second later they heard Felicity's answer._

_"YES! Of course yes Oliver." Felicity squealed almost as soon as the man before her finished speaking. Oliver then placed the ring on her finger,_ _before standing and pulling her into a tight hug, and then placing a gentle kiss on her lips._

_The rest of the Team had then left the office to join their Teammates in the lair with a couple of bottles of champagne and a LOT of congratulations._

**Present Day...**

Roy hated that he could be the reason that Oliver and Felicity might not get to have their fairy tale ending. As he remembered the looks of pure happiness on his Teammates faces he made his decision. He was going to deal with his dad and keep Oliver out of it, completely.

Roy stood and pulled his hood up. "Sorry guys, but this is something I have to do alone." He said as he looked back to the side entrance of the club that led down to the lair. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the task ahead, before he turned away and started to make his way across the Glades on the rooftops as Oliver had taught him.

He was going to meet with his dad, and put an end to this, and he was going to do it  _without_  dragging his Team into the madness.


	9. Face Off

Roy climbed down a fire escape on a building two blocks away from his house. He had a feeling that his dad was either already at the house, or was having it watched, and he wanted to be sure he didn't give them any more clues than possible about his life now and Team Arrow. As he walked down the street and his house came into view he realized that his instincts were right. There were  _at least_ five guys on the street outside his house that didn't belong there. He could also see that there was someone inside as he had been sure to turn the lights off when he left. He paused for a brief moment on the street and took a deep breath to prepare himself for what he was about to do.  _I hope I got away quick enough that they didn't see me leave._  Roy was thinking as he walked up to his front door. He was dreading this, facing his father, but he also knew that he had to do this alone, he  _had_ to try and keep Oliver out of it, not just for him, but for Felicity as well.

"Where have you been son?" The Dealer asked as soon as Roy walked through the front door. "You haven't been home all night."

"Oh, now you're worried about what I do at night?" Roy asked walking straight to his kitchen for a bottle of water. He was trying to stay calm and not let his nervousness show. "Isn't it a little late for that?"

"Don't get smart with me boy." The Dealer growled from where he was sitting on Roy's bed. "Why were you at that Club, Verdant?"

"I work there." Roy said as he turned toward his dad. "I kinda have to go there to work and I have to work to get paid."

"So you worked there, all night?" His dad asked, clearly not believing him. "Don't clubs close at 2am?"

"Yeah, they do." Roy leaned against the counter, holding his water bottle so as to hide the fact that his hands were almost shaking with nervousness. "But then we have to clean up, do inventory, make sure the place is ready for opening the next night. That takes time."

"Fine. If that's what you want me to believe then so be it." The Dealer stood and walked towards Roy in the kitchen. "I assume you have an answer for me?"

"Yeah, I do." Roy rose to his full height, taking complete advantage of every inch and every ounce of muscle that he had gained since the last time he faced-off against his dad. "I won't do it. I am  _not_  going to help you at all. I owe you nothing!"

The Dealer moved so quickly that Roy didn't have a chance to respond and a fist connected loudly with his jaw.

"You're going to regret that decision... _son_." The Dealer said as he grabbed Roy by the front of his hoodie and hurled him across the room, before then following.

Roy stood from where his dad had thrown him against the wall.  _It's time I make use of those endless hours of training._  He thought to himself. As The Dealer came within reach Roy kicked out, catching the man off guard and landing a solid kick to his stomach. This started an all-out battle. The two men swung and kicked at each other, breaking almost every piece of furniture in Roy's small house in the process.

Finally, after several minutes of fighting The Dealer managed to pull a syringe from his pocket and jam it into Roy's chest the next time the kid came close enough. Roy froze for a moment in shock before the drug took over. The Dealer pushed Roy away from him where the kid landed in a heap on the bedside table that had managed to stay intact up until this point.

"Seems you're into fighting back again." The Dealer said as he straightened his jacket and wiped the blood from his split lip. "Such a shame it didn't help. I really didn't want to do this son but you leave me no choice. You're going to pay, and so will those you care about!" At that The Dealer and his men left Roy's small house where Roy lay unconscious.

* * *

Felicity had been watching Roy and Sara on the surveillance camera. It seemed that they were having a good talk and Felicity was glad that the whole Team was looking out for Roy. As she and Oliver sat in silence, after she shared the remainder of her results, her phone had rang. It was one of their vendors that they used, okay, not really a vendor, more like a super secret contact. Apparently their latest order was finished. She had called Sara to ask her to go pick up the item and to let her know that they would keep an eye on Roy via the video. She felt confident that he would be fine especially as he said he would be in shortly.

Oliver and Felicity then turned to assemble the newest display cases. They had been eagerly anticipating the day that they could do this and Felicity thought that the timing couldn't be better. It only took a few short minutes to get everything ready and by time they were done Diggle was returning with the food.

"Where are Roy and Sara?" Diggle asked, having not seen his Teammates anywhere when he got back.

"Sara went to pick up our latest order and Roy is still on the roof..." Felicity said as she turned back to point at the video feed on her computer only to realize that the young man in question was no longer there. "On NO! No, no, no, no, no!"

"What's wrong Felicity?" Oliver asked, clearly concerned from her tone of voice.

"He's gone." Felicity cried. "Roy, he's not on the roof anymore." She began going through the feed from all the cameras in the area.

"Where did he go Felicity?" Diggle asked as he joined his Teammates at Felicity's desk.

"He went home!" Felicity answered worriedly as she locked eyes with Oliver. She had searched the video feed until she figured out when he left and then followed him on what cameras she could from there. "He went to face The Dealer alone!"

Oliver instantly burst into action.

"You going to hood up?" Diggle asked as he grabbed his gun and keys.

"It's the middle of the day Digg." Oliver called as he ran up the stairs, brown jacket and motorcycle helmet in hand and placing his comms unit in his ear.  _ **  
**_

"Bring him home Oliver." Felicity whispered quietly, she was clearly worried about Roy.

"I will Felicity." Oliver answered over the comms, the sound of the motorcycle loud in her ear.

Oliver rode as quickly as he could to Roy's house. He was more worried for the kid than he was willing to admit, even to himself. He knew that The Dealer, Roy's dad, was dangerous on so many levels and he was worried about what the man was willing to do, to his own son. As he neared Roy's house he paid special attention to make sure that there were no guards or lookouts on the street. Thankfully everything looked normal, even at Roy's house. Oliver skidded to a stop in front of the house and ran to the front door and rushed in, not even bothering to knock.

"Roy!" Oliver called, quickly realizing that The Dealer and his men were nowhere in sight. As he quickly surveyed the room he noted that every piece of furniture in the house was broken, clear evidence of a fight. Suddenly he saw a form on his left, a heap of red hoodie on the floor on top of a broken nightstand. It was Roy.

"Roy. Roy talk to me!" Oliver quickly looked Roy over to assess his injuries, noting that the kid had several new bruises, including a nasty one on his jaw. He didn't appear to have any broken bones. Checking his pulse he noticed that Roy's heart was racing. Diggle arrived just as Oliver was checking Roy's eyes, noting that they had rolled back into his head.

"Oliver?" Diggle asked, he knew Oliver would understand his question.

"Looks like he's been injected with something." Oliver answered as he looked around him quickly. It took only a moment before he noticed the syringe on the floor next to him. He picked it up and examined it closely. "Diggle we're taking him back in the car. I'll come back for the bike later." Oliver said to the older man standing next to him. "Felicity!" He called into the comms as he lifted Roy into his arms and headed out to the car.

"Yes! How's Roy?" Felicity immediately responded. She hated not knowing what was going on.

"I found Roy but we have a problem." Oliver said surprisingly calmly. "He's been injected with Vertigo!"


	10. Treatment

Diggle drove back to the lair as quickly as he could, while Oliver instructed Felicity how much water to mix in with the herbs to counteract the effects of the Vertigo. He also told her to put it in a syringe as Roy was out cold and wouldn't be able to drink the mixture. Oliver simply hoped that they weren't too late to avoid any permanent damage to Roy's body from the drug.

"Felicity, I need you to do one more thing for me." Oliver said to her as they closed in on the lair.

"Yeah?" Felicity asked worriedly.

"I need you to call Thea." Oliver calmly requested.

"Why Oliver? You don't think..." Felicity cried.  _Surely he doesn't think Roy's going to die from this!_  She thought even as Oliver reassured her.

"No! Felicity, Roy is going to be fine." Oliver interrupted her, knowing where her thoughts were headed. "I just think he would like to have her around when he comes to." He explained. He knew that when he was injured simply having her there when he woke up helped calm him. He had a feeling that Thea could do the same for Roy. "Don't give her details, just let her know we need her at the lair. We will fill her in when she gets there."

Felicity turned back to the task at hand. She couldn't describe how worried she was for Roy, especially after she had heard, and seen, how Vertigo had affected both Diggle and Oliver.  _And they are the strongest guys I know!_  She thought as she dialed Thea.

"Hi Felicity!" Thea answered her cell on the second ring.

"Thea, hey." Felicity replied, as calmly as she could manage.

"Oh hey, how's it going?"

"Oh, it's going." Felicity took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Hey, Oliver needs your help with something. Can you come down to the lair?"

"Yeah, sure. Hey, since Sin's here can she come too?" Thea asked, clearly pleased that they had asked her for help.

"Not just yet Thea. Maybe later though." Felicity answered noncommittally.

"Okay, I'll head right over." Thea sounded slightly disappointed but Felicity knew she would understand.

"Thea! One more thing." Felicity remembered just before they hung up. "Make sure you bring one of the security team with you. They need to escort you to Verdant but can go back once you've made it here safely."

"Felicity, is that really necessary?" Thea almost whined into the phone.

"Absolutely! You do  _not_  leave the mansion without one of them!" Felicity ordered, smiling a bit at the sigh of irritation from the young woman on the other end of the line.

"Fine! But you tell Oliver I'm not happy about it!" Thea grumbled before hanging up.

Felicity was happy that she had talked the younger woman into following Oliver's orders, even if he hadn't spoken the words himself, and knew that once Thea was aware of what was going on with The Dealer she would be more understanding. She heard the lair door open just seconds after she hung up with Thea and Felicity spun around towards the stairs.

"Oliver?"

"It's me Felicity." Sara called as she jogged down the stairs, two large cases in her hands. "Where is everyone?"

"Roy went to meet his dad." Felicity answered.

"Oh, okay. Did Oliver and John go with him?" Sara asked as she set the cases down next to the new display cases in the lair.

"Not exactly." Felicity said hesitantly.

"What do you mean?" Sara asked, suddenly worried about her Teammates. However, before Felicity could answer the door to the lair swung open again.

"Felicity?" Diggle called down.

"I'm here. Everything's ready." Felicity answered as she turned to grab the herbal mixture that she had prepared. Moments later they saw Oliver descending the stairs with an unconscious Roy in his arms.

"What happened?" Sara asked as she helped Oliver lower Roy to the medical table.

"The Dealer injected him with a lethal dose of Vertigo." Oliver explained as he injected Roy with the herbal mixture while Diggle hooked up the heart monitor.

"What?" Sara was outraged.

"He left without telling us. By time we got there his house had been trashed and Roy was knocked out. We think he had a fight with his dad who injected him with the Vertigo." Diggle explained as he finished hooking Roy up to the machine before then moving a bucket right next to the table.

"Why would he do that? What kind of man would do that to his own son?" Sara couldn't believe that anyone would want to hurt their own child like that.

"Sara." Oliver said quietly from where he stood next to Roy. He looked up to her and met her eyes. It only took a moment for understanding to show on her face.

"No." Sara whispered. She had realized what Oliver wasn't telling her and that thought angered her more than anything.

"Oliver?" Diggle asked, he knew immediately that he was missing something.

"Digg, think about it. Roy's own father fighting with him and breaking everything in his own home. Roy saying he couldn't face this alone. The way he was having trouble breathing on the phone when he first called the lair." Sara explained to her Teammate.

"You guys don't think this is the first time something like this has happened." Diggle understood what they were implying. "You think his dad was abusive."

"That  _would_  explain a lot." Sara commented.

"He hasn't told us yet for a reason." Oliver stated quietly as he took Felicity's hand in his.

"He'll tell us when he's ready." Felicity commented as she looked up at Oliver. "Until then we just need to be there for him."

The Team stood in silence for a brief moment before Felicity shook herself out of her thoughts and moved to grab a cloth and some warm water. She worked to clean the blood off of Roy's split lip, bruised knuckles, and the various cuts from the fight. Oliver moved to help her take off Roy's hoodie to make it easier to clean him up and helped Felicity with her task.

As Oliver and Felicity worked to tend to Roy's wounds Sara turned to the cases that she had brought in.

"Might as well unpack these." Sara said as she lifted the first case onto a table and opened it.

"These turned out great." Diggle commented as he lifted out the contents of the case and began placing them in one of the display cases.

Sara opened the second case that she had brought in and began to place the items in it into the second of the new display cases. The Team worked in silence at their respective tasks until Felicity's phone buzzed. It was a text from Thea letting them know she was there. Felicity looked to Oliver who gave her a brief nod letting her know to go ahead and let Thea in.

* * *

Thea was finally able to get rid of the security guy that had had to follow her to Verdant. She hadn't been happy about the tail, however, she also remembered Diggle's words about there being a potential threat in town and knew they just wanted to make sure she was safe. She hated the excuse, as she had heard it too many times, however, she appreciated the fact that Oliver and his Team were looking out for her. Once the door to Oliver's lair buzzed she bounced down the steps, ready to take on whatever task Oliver had for her.

Thea stopped suddenly as she reached the bottom of the stairs and she saw Roy, laying on the medical table in front of her, out cold. She couldn't help the cry that escaped as she ran over to his side.

"Roy!" Thea cried as she took in the sight of her boyfriend laying unconscious.

"He's going to be fine Thea." Felicity said as she pulled the younger woman into her arms.

"What happened?" Thea asked as she looked to her brother.

"There's a new guy in town that we've been tracking." Oliver explained as he walked over to his sister and pulled her into a tight hug. "He's an arms dealer who has also dealt with Vertigo. He caught up to Roy today. There was a fight and the guy injected Roy with a large dose of Vertigo. We've already given him something to counteract the dose but it will take a little while before he wakes up. We thought you would want to be here for him when he does."

As Oliver had explained things, albeit vaguely, Felicity had pulled over one of the computer chairs for the younger woman to sit in. Thea sank into it, dazed, as she looked at her boyfriend. Sure, she had seen him injured before, and she had also seen him unconscious, but the combination of the injuries she could see with the fact that he was out cold worried her, not to mention the fact that he had been injected with Vertigo.

"Don't worry Thea." Felicity said softly as she handed Thea a bottle of water. "He looks worse than he is. It's really only a few scrapes and bruises. Once the Vertigo is out of his system he'll be almost as good as new."  _Physically at least_. She added in her thoughts, knowing that the emotional effects of the day would take Roy a bit longer to get past. Felicity moved back to her computers to do some more research on The Dealer as Oliver, Sara, and Diggle finished putting the new inventory away before then covering the new cases. They all worked in relative quietness, the only sound being of the heart monitor hooked to Roy.

* * *

"Sara." Felicity called to her friend. It had been about thirty minutes since Thea had shown up at the lair and she had just seen something on the security cameras.

"What is it Felicity?" Sara asked as she walked over to stand next to the other blonde.

"Look." Felicity answered as she brought up the feed from the club above them.

"Sin." Sara whispered as she turned to catch Oliver's eye. "I should go talk to her." Oliver gave her a small nod in agreement to her unspoken question. Sara nodded back before running up the stairs.

"Hey Sin!" Sara said cheerfully as she walked up to the young woman. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the Queen Mansion."

"Yeah, well, it was boring. Besides Thea came here so I thought I'd come hang out with her." Sin explained, already knowing she was in trouble.

"Did you bring one of the security team like I told you to do anytime you left the mansion?" Sara asked, already knowing the answer.

"No." Sin sad as she tilted her head to the side and put her hands in her pockets. "I can take care of myself Bird."

"Yeah I know."

"Hey, have you seen Roy lately?" Sin asked the blonde.

"Actually yes." Sara answered, not giving any information away. "Why?"

"Well, I know he works with you and the Arrow, which I know is Oliver Queen by the way. I also know that there's a new bad guy in town. Rumor is he's really dangerous. I just wanted to make sure Ambercrombie is okay and hasn't gotten himself into trouble again." Sin explained, the worry evident in her voice.

"Come with me." Sara wrapped her arms around Sins shoulders and directed her to the back door in the club that led down into the lair. "Sin, this place is more secret than even the clock tower. It  _has_  to stay that way, you understand?" Sara asked as the reached the door.

"Yeah." Sin was nervous now. Their clock tower had been private, a secret that she had only shared with Roy, so she knew that whatever she was about to see was  _big_.

Sara punched in the security code before leading Sin down the stairs to the Arrow Cave, as Felicity so affectionately called it. She could see the wonder in the young woman's eyes as she took in the display cases with Oliver's suit, then the one holding Oliver's bow and arrows, the table with Roy's bow and hoodie, Felicity's computers, Diggle's array of firearms, the training area, and then finally the medical area where Thea sat next to Roy.

"Thea." Sin called to her friend as she rushed over, meeting Thea in a huge hug. "What happened?"

"Roy was helping track down a bad guy when he was injected with Vertigo." Thea quickly explained as the two women walked over to stand beside Roy, she took his hand in hers again as she looked down at his face, worried.

Before either woman could say anything more the sound from the heart monitor changed slightly and Oliver and Diggle immediately appeared at Roy's side. Sara and Felicity gently drew the two younger women back a couple of steps so that they wouldn't be in the way.

As Oliver reached Roy's side, the younger man's back arched off the table and he opened his eyes wide, breathing hard. Just as soon as Roy had opened his eyes, Oliver could see that he was about to vomit and quickly helped him to twist and lean over the side of the table, guiding him towards the bucket that Diggle had provided.

Roy heaved until there was nothing left and even then he continued to heave some more. Once he was finished emptying his stomach of all of its contents, he gratefully took the bottle of water from Oliver and took a small drink, noticing that his hands were shaking. He stayed leaning over the side of the table as he tried to catch his breath. His ribs really hurt though and that made taking a deep breath impossible.

"Slow breaths. Focus on completely emptying your lungs in a long, slow breath out. Your body will then naturally inhale and it won't hurt as much." Oliver directed with a gentle hand on his Teammate's shoulder, seeing how Roy was fighting to get his breathing under control. He knew that Roy had at least bruised ribs and knew from experience how hard it was to breathe with injured ribs.

Roy focused on Oliver's words, drowning out all other sounds and simply tried to breathe. He realized that as Oliver was explaining how to breathe, that he was also demonstrating it as well. He looked up and met Oliver's eyes and mimicked his mentor. He formed his mouth into an O, slowly exhaling until his body took over and he was inhaling again as a natural reflex. It took several tries to get it right, but he found that the technique really did work.

"Anytime you're hurt just focus on your breathing." Oliver was telling Roy as he finally got his breath back. "It will help you disconnect from the pain and calm you." Oliver had been talking quietly so that only Roy, Diggle who was standing next to them, and Sara with her hearing, would be able to hear what he said. Finally after a minute he helped Roy into a fully seated position.

Once Roy finally got his breath back, Oliver helped him sit up properly with his legs hanging off the edge of the table. Only then did he take a moment to look around the lair. Instantly he saw Thea there, tears rolling down her face, and being held back by Felicity who was whispering comforting words to her. Once Felicity saw that he was truly awake, able to breathe, and ready for the whirlwind that was Thea Queen, she released her hold on the young woman and nudged her forward.

"Roy!" Thea sobbed as she ran to Roy and wrapped her arms around him. "You had me so worried!"

"Thea." Oliver said gently. He had seen Roy's flinch as his sister ran into him and knew that it wasn't helping his sore ribs any. "Careful."

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! Did I hurt you? Are you okay?" Thea said in a rush as she quickly let go of him, suddenly aware that her boyfriend was hurt and she probably wasn't helping any.

"I'm fine Thea, just a little sore." Roy responded with a bit of a laugh. At Thea's questioning look he went on to explain, doing his best to ignore how every inch of his body hurt at the moment. "I think Felicity's rubbing off on you."

"What do you mean?" Thea asked, still confused.

"You're starting to ramble just like her."


	11. Explanations

At the comment from Roy, comparing Thea and Felicity, everyone in the lair started to laugh.  _Leave it to Roy to lighten the mood even when hurt._  Diggle thought to himself as his younger Teammate started to try to stand up from the table.

"Roy, are you sure you should be standing up?" Thea asked as she held his arm, trying to help steady him.

"I'm fine Thea." Roy replied in answer to her question.

"I swear... If you guys don't  _stop_  using that word I'm going to..." Thea started to yell.

"You're going to what?" Roy asked interrupting her, a smile on his face at the thought of what she could be thinking.

"I'm going to put an arrow through your knee!" Thea declared as she pulled herself to her full height.

Oliver couldn't help the smile that spread across his face at that declaration.  _If she's so insistent on it, maybe I should work with her on_ _her archery._  Oliver thought to himself, amused at the prospect of making yet another person slap a bowl of water.

"How are you going to do that? You don't even know how to shoot an arrow!" Roy challenged as he pulled himself to his full height in response.

"Oh really?" Thea answered back with a look that said 'I know something you don't know'. "Care to bet on that?" She asked her boyfriend, much to the amusement of everyone else in the lair.

"Roy, are you sure that challenging Thea is smart?" Sin asked as she stepped towards her friends. "I mean it's not like you're in any condition to fight back right now."

Roy glared at Sin. She was supposed to be  _his_  friend, on  _his_  side. Instead she was defending Thea and laughing at him. He turned to Oliver as the older man put a hand on his shoulder.

"Roy." Oliver said in a not so quiet whisper, a huge grin on his face. "You do know that Thea took archery in school right?"

"What?!" Roy asked incredulously.

"Yep, got pretty good at it too." Thea bragged, enjoying the look of confusion and disbelief on Roy's face.

"Okay guys, as much fun as it is to watch you two argue, Thea we need to get going." Felicity said as she stepped up to the couple as well. "Don't we have an appointment with Raisa about the menu for the reception?"

It took a full minute before Thea finally tore her eyes away from Roy, finally backing down from the challenge that she apparently wanted to make good on.

"Yeah, we should go." Thea reluctantly agreed. "Are you going to be okay?" She asked Roy as she placed her hand on his arm gently, suddenly worried again.

"I'll be..." Roy started to say 'fine' but changed his mind at the glare from Thea. "...alright."

"Digg and I will keep an eye on him Thea." Oliver told his sister. "Sara, will you go with Thea, Felicity, and Sin back to the mansion please?" Oliver had posed it as a question but Sara would know that the reason he had asked was so that they would have someone for security purposes.

"Sure, I'm getting hungry anyway." Sara answered with a small smile to the women. She had a feeling that Oliver wanted to talk to Roy and knew that the fewer people present the better it would be for the kid. It took some tugging and a lot of convincing but Thea finally, reluctantly, left after giving Roy another quick hug and kiss and telling him to listen to her brother and rest.

* * *

Roy could not have explained how nervous he was if he had had to. He watched the women leave the lair and knew that his lifeline had just walked out the door. He was sure Oliver and Diggle were going to kill him, and he deserved it. Especially after he went without the Team, knowing that they wouldn't want him to go alone. It was just that after he had thought about it for a while he had realized that this wasn't their fight. It was  _his_. It wasn't fair to let the Team get dragged into the mess that was his past. He stood, head down and hands in his pockets, as he waited for the tongue lashing that he knew was coming. He didn't have to wait long.

"What the hell were you thinking Roy?" Oliver said in a raised voice once he was sure the women were gone. He wasn't exactly yelling, but he was pissed enough that it was close. "Why did you go face him alone? You  _know_  that no one goes to  _any_  kind of meet alone.  _Especially_  with an armed and dangerous weapons and drug dealer. Roy he could have  _killed_  you!"

"Oliver." Diggle said as he tried to calm his Teammate. He knew why Oliver was so mad, but he also knew that yelling at Roy right now, considering his past, was the last thing that the kid needed.

Oliver took a deep breath and walked a few steps away as he tried to reign in his anger. He knew Digg was right, yelling wasn't going to help the situation. It's not like Roy didn't realize that going alone was stupid. He had the bruises to prove that it was.

"Why'd you do it?" Oliver asked, voice no longer raised, as he turned back to the young man. "Why did you go alone when you  _know_  we would have gone with you?"

Roy stood silently for a few breaths. He deserved Oliver's anger. He had disobeyed longstanding Team rules, they never went to meets like that without backup. The bruises on his body were proof of the precise reason why too. He knew that Oliver's anger was justified. He swallowed hard, shifting his gaze from his shoes to a spot on the far wall of the lair, still not making eye contact with either man in front of him.

"I didn't want you involved." Roy whispered in explanation.

"Why?" Diggle asked quietly. "Why didn't you want us involved all of a sudden when just yesterday you were asking for us to back you up?" He knew that they needed to understand what had changed Roy's mind if they were going to figure out how to help the young man.

"Felicity." Roy whispered again as he shifted his weight.

"What?" Oliver asked, confused, as he took a step closer to Roy.

"Felicity." Roy finally looked up and met Oliver's confused gaze as he tried to get his emotions under control. "She's like a sister to me. You and she, you've spent the last six months happier than I've ever seen you, in spite of Merlyn and Slade. You've grown closer, you admitted to each other that you love each other, you even proposed last month. You're getting married Oliver and I've never seen her happier the whole time I've known you guys."

Roy took another deep breath, well, as deep as his bruised ribs would allow. "I couldn't be the reason that something happened to either of you, not now. I went alone because I  _know_  what my dad does, he beats people until he gets his way and sometimes he does it just because. Now he's in town hunting you so he can kill you. If you had gone with me I would have been handing you over to him. How do you think Felicity would have felt if  _you_ had been injected with the Vertigo again? Or captured? Or Killed? She would have never forgiven me." Roy looked down to his shoes again. "I can't let him hurt you guys. You're my Team and the only real family I have ever known. I can't,  _won't_ , let him destroy this family, not if I can help it!"

Oliver was speechless. He had  _not_  been expecting that answer from Roy and from the look in Diggle's eye his partner hadn't either. It seemed that Roy was more like him that he had previously thought.

"Look, I know you're mad and if you want to beat the crap out of me for disobeying orders then go ahead." Roy said as he stared at a spot on the wall again. "It's not like I'm not used to it." He whispered quietly to himself.

"Roy." Oliver said softly as he placed a hand cautiously on the young man's shoulder, waiting for Roy to look at him before continuing.

"I am  _not_  your father, and  _no one_  on this Team will  _ever_  hit you out of anger!"


	12. Admissions

Roy looked up and met Oliver's eyes. He had been expecting to see anger in the older man's eyes, however that was not what he saw. He knew Oliver was mad at him and yet in Oliver's eyes he could see understanding, concern, and, what surprised him most, pride. Now he was confused.

"Roy, I won't say I'm happy about your decision, but I understand why you did it. Thank you for being concerned for the rest of us." Oliver told Roy, being sure to put the right amount of emotion in his voice. "Now, on to other matters. Care to fill us in on what happened?" Oliver moved to sit on one of the stools in the lair and Diggle moved to lean against the computer table, both men relaxing a bit more to hopefully encourage Roy to fill them in.

"Um..." Roy wasn't sure where to start, or where the sudden change of subject came from. He was also still confused as to the look in Oliver's eyes. He decided he would simply explain what happened for now and maybe Oliver would explain himself later. "I took the rooftops to about a block or so away from my house. I dropped down to street level using a fire escape and walked the rest of the way. There were at least five men on the street. They blended in, but I knew that they didn't belong in the neighborhood." Roy lifted himself to where he was sitting on the edge of the table he had previously been laying on. "When I reached the house my dad, the Dealer, was the only one inside." He paused for a moment to take a couple full breaths, trying to keep his thoughts clear.

"When I went inside he was sitting on my bed waiting for me. He simply asked me where I had been. He knew I had been here." Roy told his Teammates as he continued his explanation.

"You were nervous." Diggle stated, he could tell from the way Roy was telling them the story that he was right.

"No, not nervous exactly. More like scared to death." Roy finally admitted. "You see, growing up he had the worst temper. Think me on Mirakuru type temper. He would come home and get mad for no reason. He, um..." Roy looked away as he took another breath, swallowing hard at the admission he was about to verbalize. "When he got mad he would lash out, mostly towards my mom, at least while I was younger. He would hit her, push her around. There was always a lot of yelling. When it started they kept me out of it, but that didn't last long. I was three the first time I remember him hitting me. I had walked into the kitchen while they were arguing, asked what was wrong. He just turned around and slapped me so hard across the face that it knocked me off my feet. After that I was always included in the family arguments."

Oliver and Diggle wore matching expressions, masks, that wouldn't show the rage that each man felt at Roy's admission. They had both experienced an array of injuries, but none from family like Roy had. Their hearts broke for how Roy had been treated, but they also knew that Roy wouldn't want their sympathy.

"My dad became more abusive the older I got. He never ceased to tell me how much of a disappointment I was to him followed by a lashing from a belt, his fists, he'd even kick me once I was down on the floor. I could never fight back, he was always so much stronger than me." Roy paused for another moment. He was now avoiding Oliver and Diggle as he was afraid that he would see sympathy or worse, pity, in their eyes. That was  _not_  something he wanted from them. He was stronger now and he realized he would have to find a way to prove that to them now. Especially as he was finally telling them the truth about his past.

"I was eight the first time I tried to fight back. He was hitting my mom again and she had just come home from the hospital with a broken arm and broken ribs, again. Dad was mad because the pain meds they had her on made her less aware of what was going on around her and that always infuriated him. I stepped in and that was the first time my arm got broken. I would try and protect her but it never worked, he would always win." Roy finally looked up to his Teammates.

"That's why I was scared. He had always beaten me before and I knew that if he did again you all would be in even more danger." Roy explained. "When I walked in the house it was all I could do to keep him from seeing my hands shaking. He asked me if I was going to help him track the Arrow down and wasn't too happy when I told him no. He punched me in the jaw before I even noticed he had moved. Then he threw me across the room into the wall. That's when I decided he wasn't going to win without a fight. I did my best to remember everything you guys have taught me but it wasn't enough. He still beat me."

"Roy, the only reason you lost that fight was because he cheated." Oliver told the younger man, trying to encourage him. "If he hadn't injected you with Vertigo I'm sure you could have beat him."

"No." Roy argued with a shake of his head. "Do you remember when you told me that I have to  _believe_  that I can win the fight, if I don't then they will beat me? Well, you were right. I didn't really believe that I could beat him. Each time he hit me I remembered all the times he would hit me, or mom, as a kid. He had me beat before he even threw the first punch."

"So we work on that." Diggle said as he stood and took a couple steps towards Roy. "I don't care who he is, or what kind of training he has had, you can  _always_ beat him. You just have to rely on your training, and  _truly believe_  in yourself."

"You fought back? Used your training against the man who abused you and your mother when you were a child?" Oliver asked for clarification as he stepped closer to his Teammates.

"Yeah, I tried at least. It didn't work though." Roy said as he looked down to a spot on the floor. "You must be so disappointed in me."

"No." Oliver said, still not sure why his young protégé didn't get it. He waited until Roy looked up to him, worry clear on his face. "Proud!"

* * *

Oliver and Diggle sat in the lair, waiting for Roy to finish changing. They were happy that Roy had finally told them about his past, admitted to his fears. They were also incredibly proud of how Roy had stood up to his dad and fought back, it didn't matter that he had been beaten this time. What mattered was that Roy was learning, growing, and becoming a better man because of it.

Diggle had been wondering for a while about Oliver's reaction to something that had been said earlier and decided that now was the time to broach the subject with his Teammate as Roy was out of earshot for the moment.

"Oliver." Diggle turned to the younger man who looked up at him questioningly. "Earlier, when Felicity was telling us about the Dealer and his dealings she mentioned a man named Fyers. I also noticed your reaction to the name. Is there something I should know?"

Oliver looked at Diggle for a full minute, trying to decide whether or not this was something that he wanted his Team to know. Finally he decided that honesty was the best course of action.

"Fyers was the man who had me first tortured on the Island - and the Dealer was there."


	13. Discussions

Oliver, Diggle, and Roy walked through the front door of the mansion and they could immediately smell the wonderful aromas of Raisa's food coming from the kitchen.

"I think I know exactly where everyone is." Oliver said with a smile as he headed towards the wonderful smell. He couldn't help the smile on his face as he thought about his beautiful fiancé picking out food for their wedding reception.  _I still can't believe I'm getting married!_  Oliver thought as he walked into the room and saw Felicity. The sight before him stopped him dead in his tracks, causing Roy to almost walk into him from the sudden stop. Felicity had just taken a bite of something and had her head tilted back, eyes closed, with a look on her face that was pure happiness.

"Raisa, this is heavenly." Felicity said, finally opening her eyes and giving the cook a massive smile. "Oh! Oliver! You have  _got_  to try this!" She said as she stood from the stool she was sitting on and brought the food to Oliver. She had realized that he walked in while she was savoring the taste of the lamb and knew that he simply  _had_  to try it.

That one small taste was all it took for Oliver to be pulled into the decision of which foods to have at the reception. The only things he immediately vetoed were pheasant and anything fish as he had had enough of them during his time away.  _ **  
**_

"Roy, how are you feeling?" Thea asked as she walked up to her boyfriend, noticing that he still looked extremely tired.

"I'm okay Thea." Roy said as he pulled her into a hug. "I'm just really tired."

"It's probably the Vertigo." Thea commented. "You should go lie down and sleep off the rest of the effects from it."

Roy nodded his head in agreement. He knew that the Vertigo was the reason he still wasn't feeling a hundred percent and that getting some more rest would help. If he was honest, though, he was afraid to fall asleep again as he didn't want to have another nightmare.

"Ollie, Roy and I are going to go upstairs." Thea told her brother as she went to grab a couple of bottles of water for herself and Roy. "He's going to get some more rest."

"Great idea Thea." Oliver said as he pulled his sister into a side hug. He knew that Roy still wouldn't feel quite right and that rest was the best medicine for him. "Why don't you stay up there with him for a while. He really needs you right now." Oliver whispered quietly in her ear. She looked to him and he could tell that she had heard him, and would make sure she was there for Roy as long as he needed her. He gave a small smile as he watched the couple leave the kitchen before turning back to the buffet of food before him.

* * *

Thea and Roy walked quietly, hand in hand, up to her room. Roy was exhausted. He had only had about three hours of real sleep in the last forty eight hours, he didn't count the time he was out in the lair as that was drug induced. When they reached Thea's room she went to turn down the bed while he pulled his shirt off and took off his socks and shoes, leaving him in his loose fitting workout pants, before crawling into the large, comfortable bed.

Thea sat on the bed next to Roy and watched as he closed his eyes, breathing carefully so as not to aggravate his bruised ribs. She could see the ugly black and blue bruises on his chest from the most recent fight he was in and she knew that it had to be extremely uncomfortable for him.

"Roy, what was Oliver telling you when you first woke up in the lair?" Thea asked for a moment, unable to contain her curiosity any longer.

"Breathe." Roy answered as he pried his eyes open to look at the beautiful woman next to him.

"What?" Thea was now not only curious, but confused as well. "Why would he be telling you to breathe?"

"He wasn't telling me to breathe, he was teaching me  _how_  to breathe." Roy answered with a small smile. "He knew that I had some bruised ribs and that it was hurting to take a full breath, especially after throwing up. He was teaching me a technique that would help me regulate my breathing as well as help me get full breaths without aggravating my ribs."

"It helped?" Thea asked, she already knew the answer but was simply enjoying talking to her boyfriend, especially as he had just come very close to not waking up thanks to the Vertigo.

"Yeah, it did." Roy said thoughtfully as stared at Thea's hand in his. "It helped take my mind off the pain, gave me something to focus on."

"I'm glad you're okay." Thea whispered after a couple more minutes. "It really scared me when I saw you lying on that table unconscious. I thought for a minute that I had lost you." She couldn't help the tears that spilled over at that admission.

At Thea's emotional words Roy pulled himself more to a sitting position and cupped her face gently in his hand.

"Thea, I can't promise that you will never lose me. What I do, what the Team does, it's dangerous. But, I  _can_  promise you this." Roy turned her face to where he could look Thea in the eyes. "I  _can_  promise that I will do  _anything_  to come home, for you! No matter what happens, or who we face, I will  _always_ fight to come back to you because you are a remarkable woman Thea, and because I love you!"

"I love you too Roy Harper." Thea said just before leaning in to kiss him. The kiss quickly heated up and would have turned into more if Thea hadn't felt Roy wince when she wrapped her arms around him, putting pressure on his bruised ribs. She reluctantly pulled back. "You need to get some rest." She said quietly, almost laughing at the look of disappointment in Roy's eyes.

"What if I don't  _want_  to rest?" Roy said mischievously. "What if I want to do something else."

"Then you're ribs will hurt even more and Oliver might  _actually_  kill you this time." Thea said jokingly knowing how Oliver hadn't been too thrilled when he had found out they were sleeping together. She couldn't help but notice how Roy suddenly turned serious again. "Roy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Roy answered. He knew that the Team would never hurt him intentionally, at least that's what Oliver had just told him, quite emphatically. However, he still couldn't help the barrage of childhood memories at her comment. "I'm just tired Thea, I'm going to try to get some sleep."

Roy laid back down and rolled over, ignoring the slight pain in his ribs from his weight on them, and went to put his arms round the pillow under his head like he normally did before he realized it was too painful. It took a moment before he was actually able to find a comfortable position. He knew that Thea was aware that there was more going on. He also knew that he would have to tell her eventually. He just didn't know how.

Thea knew that she had said something to upset Roy, she just wasn't sure what it was. Instead of pressing him though she simply started to rub his back. Her mother had done that for her several times as a child when she couldn't sleep, or wasn't feeling well, and it had always helped. She hoped it would be the same for Roy.

After several minutes Thea noticed some faint scars on Roy's lower back, just above the waist of his pants, and she found herself tracing them gently with her fingers. She could tell that Roy wasn't asleep yet as she felt him flinch slightly when she first started to trace the scars. This was why she finally decided to ask him about them.

"I don't remember seeing these before. How did you get them?" Thea asked cautiously. She had seen Roy topless, lots of times, but never remembered seeing these scars.  _Not that I was really paying attention to what his back looked like._  She thought to herself as she waited to see if Roy would answer her.

Roy knew that he would have to explain his past to Thea eventually, had planned to do so, he just hadn't figured out  _how_  yet.  _Looks like she answered that question for me._  He thought as he took a couple of deeper breaths. He decided not to turn to look at Thea as he didn't think he would be able to stand seeing her face when she found out about his past.

"A belt." Roy finally said quietly, almost too quietly for Thea to hear.

"A belt? When? Who?" Thea asked, confused andeven more curious now.

"When I was a kid... My dad." Roy admitted, feeling defeated already.

"What!" Thea practically yelled. "Why would your dad do that to you? He hit you with a belt?!"

"Thea..." Roy said calmly as he shifted slightly. He attempted to swallow some of his emotions before he continued to explain. "There's some things I never told you about my past. As you know I didn't grow up in a nice house, with nice parents. I didn't have the chance to have all the things that you did growing up. My family was poor. But what I never said was that my mom and dad both did drugs. My dad was even a drug dealer."

"I knew about your mom, but that doesn't explain why  _anyone_  would hit their child with a belt. Especially not hard enough to leave these scars!" Thea said, upset and angry on her boyfriend's behalf for what had happened to him. She still didn't fully understand, didn't want to believe what Roy was telling her, but at the same time the evidence was right there in his voice - and under her fingers.

"My dad had a temper, made worse by the drugs that he was hooked on." Roy explained as he sat up, leaning his back against the headboard. He still avoided looking at Thea though as he didn't want to see pity in her eyes. "He always got more violent when things didn't go as he wanted them to. He had been hitting my mom for as long as I can remember, and he started hitting me when I was three. He gave me those scars when I was still really small, I don't remember exactly when. Once he realized he was leaving scars he found other ways, ways that wouldn't leave scars or marks that teachers or doctors would see."

Thea couldn't help the tears that were streaming down her face. She was incredibly sad for what Roy had had to endure as a child. She knew that it couldn't have been easy living with a father like that.

"That's why I started fighting in the Glades, because I could never fight back and win when I was a kid." Roy finally turned to Thea as he explained  _why_  he had done what he had. "I had spent my whole life watching as my dad beat my mom, being beaten myself. When I was finally able to do something about it, something that mattered, it was too late for my mom. My dad had already left and my mom was so far gone on the drugs that she didn't even know I was there anymore. When I was able to help someone, keep them from having to experience what I did, I felt like I finally mattered to someone."

"I never mattered to my dad, or my mom." Roy looked away from Thea again. "I was reminded of that yesterday when he showed up at my house." Roy paused for a moment before he revealed the rest to Thea. "He is the new threat in town... He's the one who did this to me." Roy ended in a whisper as he looked at the floor next to the bed. He just knew that after he admitted all this to Thea that she would see him as damaged, broken, and leave him for good.

Thea was speechless, and that was saying a lot. She knew that Roy had had a rough life growing up, that things weren't easy for him. However, she couldn't even fathom  _why_  a man would hurt his  _own son_ , why he would inject him with the Vertigo knowing that it could have killed him. She suddenly felt an incredible amount of rage towards this man and would have happily put an arrow in him herself. After a moment she suddenly realized what Roy was thinking as he was avoiding her now.  _He's afraid that I'll see him as broken, just like Ollie thought_ _when he came back from the island. He thinks I won't want to be with him anymore!_  She thought. She realized then what she had to say to prove to Roy that she wasn't going anywhere.

"Roy Harper you look at me!" Thea said as she grabbed his hand. She waited until he turned at looked at her before she continued. "You may not have had the best past, the best family, but that does  _not_  mean that you're damaged or broken in  _any_  way! What happened to you, it made you  _stronger_. It made you into the man that you are today. You put your life on the line,  _every day_ , with Oliver, Sara, Diggle, and Felicity. You  _protect_  people. You protect the  _whole city!"_ She paused for a moment to take a deep breath and to allow her words to sink in.

"Roy, I don't care what happened to you before. All I care about is who you are  _today_!  _That_  is the man that I fell in love with. I love  _you_ and  _nothing_  that you tell me can  _ever_  change that!"


	14. Train Hard Fight Easy

It had been several hours since Thea and Roy had disappeared upstairs to her room. Oliver hoped that that meant Roy was getting the rest that he needed. He knew the younger man would be physically sore for days to come, however, he hoped that with Thea there for him the emotional scars would heal faster. He still had a smile on his face as he rounded the corner at the top of the stairs. He had spent the last several hours going over the reception menu, final guest list, as well as a walk through of where they were holding the reception with his beautiful fiancé, his Felicity,  _his girl._  The only thing that would make this day better would be if The Dealer wasn't out there targeting his Team.

"Thea." Oliver called as he knocked on his sister's door quietly. He spoke just loud enough that she would hear him, but hopefully he wouldn't wake Roy if he was sleeping.

"Come in Ollie." Thea answered barely above a whisper. She knew that Ollie's hearing was good enough that he would hear her, and she was thankful that she didn't have to talk to loud and risk waking Roy.

Oliver quietly opened the door and walked inside, noting that Roy was passed out on the bed and Thea was sitting next to him, gently rubbing his back. He smiled again to himself.  _We would all be lost without the people in our lives who_ don't _wear a mask._  He thought to himself.

"How's he doing?" Oliver asked his sister as he pulled up a chair next to her bed.

"He's been sleeping for a few hours now." Thea answered as she turned back to her boyfriend, continuing the gentle movements of rubbing his back. "He's started tossing and turning a couple of times, which aggravated his injuries, but as long as I'm rubbing his back he sleeps peacefully."

"That's good." Oliver commented. "He needs as much peaceful sleep as he can get for his body to heal faster." He watched as her hand on Roy's back slowed at the base of his spine.

"Did you know he had these?" Thea asked quietly as she again stared at the scars on Roy's lower back. She knew that they all trained together and knew that the chances of him  _not_  having seen them were pretty slim.

"I saw brief glimpses of them on a couple occasions, but that's it." Oliver answered carefully, not sure what she knew at this point.

"He told me today how he got them." Thea whispered quietly, remembering the pain in Roy's voice as he told her about his past.

Oliver could hear the hurt in his sister's voice and knew that she was hurting for Roy and what he had had to go through. _  
_

"Did you know?" Thea asked again.

"About his past?" Oliver asked for clarification, even though he knew that's what she was talking about. "Yes. He told Diggle and me earlier."

"So that's what you talked about after we left." Thea stated, realizing now why the men had rushed them out of the lair earlier.

"Yes, but that's not why we sent you guys home." Oliver told her, still keeping his voice low to avoid waking Roy.

"Then why?" Thea was officially curious now.

"I was going to yell at him for going off to a meet on his own." Oliver told her honestly. "We ended up talking about  _why_  he went alone, which led into him telling us."

"Why did he go?" Again curiosity got the best of Thea.

"He had his reasons, nothing worth mentioning right now." Oliver answered, not wanting to tell his sister more than Roy wanted.

"They better have been damn good reasons then." Thea was pissed that Roy had gone off alone now that she knew.

"They were Thea." Oliver said as he tried to calm her. "Well, I'm going to head to the basement and do a little workout. I just wanted to check and make sure you two were doing okay. Just yell if you need anything okay."

"Okay." Thea said as she gave her brother a smile. She watched him stand to leave and she called to him just as he reached her door. "Ollie... thank you. For being there for Roy. He may not say it but he really appreciates everything that you do for him - and so do I."

Oliver simply smiled at his sister in response, nodding his head in understanding, before leaving her room and heading downstairs to join the rest of the Team in a workout. It was days like today that he was thankful his mom had installed the new gym equipment in the basement. It made it much easier for the Team to keep an eye on anyone recovering from injuries, and yet still stay in top fighting condition.

When Oliver reached the basement he noticed that Sara and Sin were on the training mats together. It appeared that Sara was teaching the younger woman the basics of the bo staff. Oliver thought it was a great idea to train the younger, unofficial, Team members in self defense as you never knew when they would need the skills. Diggle had just entered the basement just moments before Oliver and was starting out on a warm up using the large punching bag in the corner. Oliver chose to start with some weights before moving on to the more fun things like the Salmon Ladder and sparring.

The Team trained in relative silence, the only sound being from Sara and Sin as the younger woman learned a new skill. It was about thirty minutes later, just as Oliver was getting ready to move to the Salmon Ladder, that Roy and Thea descended the stairs.

"Roy, how you feeling man?" Diggle asked as he walked over to the younger man.

"Better." Roy said simply, he did indeed feel better, even if he was still a bit sore.

"He woke up about thirty minutes ago, right after you left Ollie." Thea filled the Team in. "We went to the kitchen for food then decided to come find you all."

"How's the ribs?" Oliver asked, curious as to how long they would be able to keep Roy from physically exerting himself too much.

"Sore, but nothing to worry about." Roy said nonchalantly, letting Oliver know that he was still a bit sore, but was ready to jump back into things. "Thought I'd do a bit of training now that the Vertigo's worn off."

"On no you don't Roy Harper!" Thea turned to glare at him, getting right up in his face. "If you think I'm going to let you go back to training and fighting before you're  _completely_  healed then you couldn't be more wrong!"

"Thea..." Roy started to argue.

"Don't you 'Thea' me!" Thea couldn't believe that Roy would even  _think_  about getting back into things, not while he was still injured.

Everyone in the lair stood stone still. The basement was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop. However, they instead heard the familiar sound of heels clicking down the stairs, and Felicity's laughter as well.

"Thea, stop yelling at Roy, it won't help." Felicity said with a small smile as she finished descending the stairs. She had heard the yelling up in the kitchen and had a feeling that she knew what it was about. Her suspicions were confirmed when she started to go down into the basement and heard Thea's words.

"Felicity, he wants to start training again!" Thea whirled around to talk to the blonde. "He was hurt not even twenty four hours ago and he already wants to get back into training and fighting! He's going to hurt himself more if he does!"

"Thea, let me share something with you." Felicity said as she gestured to a bench nearby, Thea reluctantly joined her and the rest of the group went back to what they were doing. All except Oliver and Roy, who moved to the punching bag in the corner, pretending to ignore the conversation between the two women. "Thea, do you remember Oliver's first Christmas back from the Island?"

"Yes, he ended up in the hospital." Thea answered, unsure where the blonde was going with this. "We were told it was a motorcycle accident."

Felicity simply looked at the younger woman for a moment, waiting to see how long it would take her to figure out what she was hinting at.

"Wait. It wasn't a bike accident was it?" Thea asked, she had noticed the look from Felicity and that had caused her to think back to what had happened. "Oliver's the Arrow, so he was probably hurt by some bad guy wasn't he? What  _actually_ happened that night?" Thea finally asked, now extremely curious as to what had really happened.

"The Dark Archer had taken hostages, trying to lure Oliver out so he could try and kill him." Felicity explained carefully as she looked across the basement to the man that they were discussing. "He ended up with several arrows in him. He would have died in a dark alley that night if John hadn't found him in time."

"I never knew." Thea said thoughtfully.

"It wasn't long after that that there was another threat in town." Felicity turned back to Thea as she spoke. "Oliver didn't have nearly enough time to completely heal from his injuries before he had to go back to work as the Arrow."

"Why didn't he rest like he was supposed to?" Thea had asked a  _lot_ of questions recently and it seemed like that wasn't going to end any time soon.

"If Oliver had rested then half the town would have been burned to the ground." Felicity explained. "The cops, firemen, none of them could find the man responsible for all the fires that had been set around the city, but Oliver did. He stopped him despite the injuries that he was still recovering from."

Thea and Felicity both sat in silence for a moment as Felicity thought to come up with another example that Thea would be familiar with.

"You remember when Vertigo was a problem? When Oliver stepped in to try and help find the guy that was responsible for distributing it?" Felicity knew that  _this_  example would be a good one as Thea had struggled with the use of the drug herself, as well as the fact that Roy was just barely over the effects of the drug himself.

"Yeah, he almost got arrested because of it." Thea clearly remembered that. She had felt guilty for getting Oliver in trouble like she had, even if it wasn't  _really_  her fault.

"Did you know that he was injected with a concentrated dose of Vertigo that night?" Felicity asked, already knowing the answer.

"What?!" Thea couldn't believe that she had never heard this before.  _Why would he not tell us?_  Thea thought to herself. _  
_

"Do you remember whether or not the Arrow took time off after that night?" Felicity was trying to guide Thea into a better understanding of how and why the Team worked as they did.

"No, he didn't. The Count was taken down within days." Thea thought to herself out loud. She thought that she was finally understanding what Felicity was trying to tell her.

"Even after Malcolm Merlyn abducted us all Oliver didn't wait for his body to heal." Felicity pulled one more story from their long list in order to drive her point home. "He was seriously injured, and yet, he still freed himself from his chains, took down one of Merlyn's guards, freed everyone else from their cells, and then went on to fight Malcolm and defeat him. Do you have any idea why he did that Thea? Why he would keep fighting despite the multitude of injuries?"

Thea sat in silence for a moment. She knew that Oliver had been through a lot, she just hadn't realized exactly what Malcolm Merlyn had done, nor what Oliver had done so soon after.

"There were people that needed my protection, my help." Oliver answered for Thea as he and Roy walked up to the women. He decided that now was a good time to enter the conversation, to help his sister understand  _why_  they did things the way that they did. "If I hadn't fought Malcolm Merlyn that day then he could have hurt those I care about even more. I couldn't let that happen."

"Thea, what they do, it  _is_  dangerous." Felicity took Thea's hand in hers, drawing the younger woman's attention once more. "Yes, they get hurt. But they don't let,  _can't_  let that stop them. If Oliver, Roy, John, and Sara stopped each time they got hurt to allow their bodies to heal completely then more innocent people would get hurt, or killed. They keep going to protect this city, to protect us."

"We push ourselves to our physical limit, and then more, while we train so that when it comes time to face a criminal we are ready." Oliver explained some more. "If we don't push ourselves now, when we're injured, then how can we expect to win in a fight? We can't just call a time out in the middle of taking a gang down simply because we are hurt."

"It's hard watching them as they push themselves, trust me I know!" Felicity told Thea. "But I also know that if Oliver can't train here when he has bruised ribs then there is no way he can keep going in the field when someone like Cyrus Gold hurts him."

"You push yourselves  _that_  hard, just so you can be the Arrow?" Thea asked as she turned once again to her brother.

"Train hard, fight easy." Sara said from across the room with a hint of a smile. Reminding them all why it was necessary.

"Yes." Oliver answered with a nod of his head. "I, we, push ourselves because people depend on  _us_  to keep the city safe. Thea, if Roy doesn't train now, even while his ribs are sore, do you think he will be able to face the same man again and be ready?"

"No." Thea whispered as she looked to Roy.

"Thea, I know you're worried about me." Roy said as he knelt in front of his girlfriend. "But my dad, he's ruthless. He will stop at nothing until he accomplishes what he came here for. I have to be sure I'm ready when I see him again. He might not let me walk away next time if he beats me and I  _can't_ make the Team face him alone."

"I guess you had better be careful then so you don't hurt yourself more." Thea finally said after a moment of silence as she thought about everything that the Team had told her. She knew that they were right, she couldn't expect Roy to be able to hold his own if he didn't know how to fight when injured. She just hoped Oliver would make sure Roy didn't hurt himself more.

"Don't worry Thea." Oliver said with a smile. "I won't let him hurt himself anymore."

With that Oliver and Roy turned back to the training equipment. Thea watched, fascinated, as Roy took off his hoodie and began to beat up the punching bag and Oliver grabbed onto the bar of the Salmon Ladder, easily making his way up to the top.

"You know." Felicity said quietly from beside Thea. "We're more alike than you think!"


	15. Investment

Felicity's comment was proven to be true within minutes. Both Thea and Felicity could not tear their eyes away from their men. Felicity was enjoying watching Oliver as he made his way up the Salmon Ladder several times with such easy grace. She couldn't help but smile as she watched his muscles flex. She would never grow tired of watching him train shirtless.

Thea on the other hand was just getting the first glimpses of what Roy was capable of. He had started in on the punching bag after he had removed his hoodie, however, his tank top came off quickly after as it rapidly became drenched in sweat. Thea watched in amazement as Roy quickly, and powerfully, threw punches and kicks at the punching bag. She was in awe as she watched his muscles as he trained. She had never realized just  _how_   _strong_  he was until just this minute.

Diggle was just finishing some reps with the weights when he noticed the looks on Felicity's and Thea's faces. It was the same look that Felicity had had the first time she watched Oliver train shirtless in the lair. He gave a small laugh as he moved to where Sin and Sara were still working on the mats.

"How about some sparring?" Diggle asked, ready to get down to some real work.

"Sounds good." Sara said as she went to put up the equipment that she and Sin had been working with. The younger woman looked pleased to get a break and went to sit near Thea and Felicity. The look on Sin's face let Sara know that she was excited to see the sparring that was about to commence.

"Oliver, Roy, wanna join us?" Sara asked as she shared a smile with Diggle, having seen the look on Felicity's and Thea's faces as well. She knew that sparring would put Thea in even more of a daze as she would see what Roy could  _really_  do.

Oliver dropped gracefully to the floor, landing in a silent crouch at the bottom of the Salmon Ladder. Looking up he noticed the smile on his fiancé's face and realized, yet again, that he would never tire of seeing her reaction to him always training shirtless.

Roy turned from his place at the punching bag to join the rest of the Team on the mats. He could see the look of awe in Thea's eyes and it brought a smile to his face.  _So this is how Oliver feels when Felicity watches him train. No wonder he does the Salmon Ladder shirtless all the time._  He thought to himself as he saw the smile on his mentor's face as well.

"Well... how do we want to do this?" Sara asked, knowing they had to decide basics before getting started.

"Roy and I will start." Oliver decided as he turned to look at the younger man. "Then you two can join in. Roy and me against you two. Just be careful of the ribs." Oliver commented. He wasn't telling them to completely avoid hitting Roy there, just that they were to remember he was already hurt and not to make it much worse.

After Oliver's comments Sara and Diggle took a couple of steps back as Oliver and Roy faced off.

"They're not going to hurt him are they?" Thea asked, suddenly more than a little worried for her still recovering boyfriend.

"Don't you remember what they just said?" Sin asked as Oliver and Roy began their sparring. "Train hard, fight easy. I get it, they have to know they can keep going no matter what." She turned to look at Thea. "I don't think Oliver would let them do anything to really hurt Roy more though."

"She's right." Felicity said as she placed a comforting hand on Thea's arm. "They won't avoid his ribs completely, but you can rest assured that they won't hurt him too much or make his injuries worse."

Thea knew that what they were saying was true, however, she couldn't help the wince as Oliver hit Roy in the side, eliciting a small grunt of pain from Roy. What  _did_  surprise her though was that he kept fighting, not even slowing down, and the look of approval from her brother in response.

Oliver and Roy continued to spar for another five minutes before Sara and Diggle joined in. Thea and Sin sat transfixed, having never seen the Team work like this before. The sight awed them and proved that the Team really did know what they were doing. They were all amazing fighters on their own, but when you got them all together they were a major force to be reckoned with. Thea knew then that their target, Roy's dad, didn't stand a chance as long as the Team had Roy's back.

The Team had been sparring for about twenty minutes when Oliver's phone rang.

"Hello Detective, what can we do for you?" Felicity answered Oliver's phone on the second ring.

"I have a proposition for you all." Lance told the Felicity, the excitement evident in his voice. "Why don't you guys meet me at the old SCPD training facility. You know where that is right?"

"Yes Detective, we do. Be there in thirty?" Felicity asked, making sure that wasn't too soon for the Detective.

"Perfect, see you then." Lance confirmed before hanging up.

"What was that all about?" Oliver asked. They had stopped their sparring when they heard it was Lance on the phone and they were all now very curious as to what he had needed.

"That was Lance. He said he had a proposition for us and to meet him at the old SCPD training facility in thirty minutes." Felicity explained as she stood.

"Let's go then." Oliver said as he took Felicity's hand, leading the group up the stairs.

"Your bike's on the way. We should stop and get it." Diggle commented as they reached the foyer of the house.

"Okay, here's the plan." Oliver turned to the group. "We all change and meet back here in five minutes. Digg, we'll take the SUV. We will stop by and get my bike on the way. Sara, you can take it to the meet. After that we all go the the lair. There's something we need to do there." Oliver finished as he shared a knowing look with Diggle, Sara, and Felicity.

Twenty five minutes later the Team pulled up next to Detective Lance's vehicle. Oliver was out first and walked up to Detective Lance.

"Detective." Oliver said with a smile as he reached out to shake the man's hand.

"Oliver." Lance said with a smile as he watched the Team gather around to hear what he had to say.

"What brings us here Detective?" Diggle asked, curious as to what the other man had up his sleeve.

"I thought that Queen Consolidated might be interested in making an investment." Lance said with a smile as he turned to punch in a code into the security panel which then opened the large gate in front of them. "This is our old SWAT training facility. We are about to sell it and I thought I'd mention it to you first to see if you would be interested in it for training purposes. After all, between the mansion and Queen Consolidated you employ a small army of security personnel. Besides, I thought our resident vigilante might want a place other than a dark basement to train."

Oliver couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. He couldn't believe the opportunity before them. He turned to look at the property spread out before them. He started to walk through the gate with Felicity, Roy, and Thea to his right and Diggle, Sara, and Sin on his left. Lance followed directly behind them and began spouting off the information for the compound.

"The compound sits on twenty acres of land." Lance began, as the Team before him slowly made their way down the center drive. "Over on your right you have the warehouse. Inside you have a shooting range and gym in a quarter of the building, the rest is set up as a training course. On the left you have the kill house. It's a five bed, two bath house used to simulate hostage situations, domestic disputes, etc. It can be used for just about anything." Lance walked past the group, who had stopped to take it all in, before turning back to them to continue his explanations.

"Down past the house is the tower. It's a ten story structure also set up as a training course. In the back of the property there is an old school bus, a city bus, and even a small Learjet. Again, all are used as training courses. You'll also find an obstacle course just beyond the tower." Lance could see the look in Oliver's eyes and was pleased that he had thought to call him. He knew that this would be a great location for them to train on things that they would  _not_  be able to train on in their lair in Verdant or in the Queen basement. "There is an electrified fence with barbed wire all around the compound. It is also fitted with surveillance cameras everywhere. Not to mention the coded gate."

The group stood in silence for a few minutes as each person took in their surroundings and all the information that Detective Lance had just shared with them. Finally Oliver spoke.

"Digg?" Oliver asked as he turned to his partner.

"This could be good man." Diggle commented as he nodded his head, turning to look at Oliver. "We could get in some good field training here, not to mention the benefits of having it for the security teams." He could already see the endless training possibilities that were before him.

"Felicity?" Oliver asked as he turned to the woman on his other side.

"Electrified fence, coded gate, security cameras. I can build a fortified security system as well as isolate the cameras so only we can have access to them." Felicity was already planning the ways that she could improve security. "It would give us a great tool to work on getting in and out around surveillance. Our own private training camp." She said with a smile.

"Sara?" Oliver then asked the trained assassin on his Team.

"The possibilities are endless Oliver." Sara commented as she faced her friend. "There is an undeniable advantage to being able to train in a compound like this. We could hone our skills even more here." She said as she thought about the training facility that the League uses in Nanda Parbat. She knew how advantageous it was to have a place like this. Somewhere they could go to run through different scenarios, without being shot at.

"Roy?" Oliver asked the youngest member of their Team.

"I agree with Sara." Roy commented as he put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "It would be nice to get some training in in a place like this. It would almost be like training in the field, just without people trying to kill us. Plus, with Felicity's badass security skills we could lock this place down whenever we use it."

Oliver stood for a minute, weighing the words of each of his Team members. "I'll make the call." Oliver said as he looked back to Lance with a huge smile on his face.

"Looks like Queen Consolidated is making a new investment for their security team."


	16. Team Business

The Team spent the next hour touring the training facility with Lance. Oliver couldn't be more pleased with the prospect of training here as the opportunities were endless. Not to mention the benefit of having the compound available to train the Queen security teams. Finally they all circled back around to the main gate and gathered next to the vehicles.

"Detective, thankyou!" Oliver said as he shook Detective Lance's hand again, his gratitude evident in his voice.

"I'm always willing to do anything I can to help." Lance replied with a smile as he returned Oliver's handshake.

"We have to go take care of some business at the lairbut you are more than welcome to join us at the Mansion for dinner." Oliver invited, knowing his mom wouldn't mind extra company.

"Thanks. I think I'll take you up on that." Lance accepted the dinner invitation. "I guess I'll see you all later then." He said to the Team as he got in his car before driving away, leaving Team Arrow standing outside the training compound.

"Okay Team." Oliver said as he turned to the group assembled before him. "Let's head to Verdant and get down to business."  _ **  
**_

Sara jumped on Oliver's bike with Sin right riding behind her as the rest of the Team piled into the SUV that they had brought. Both vehicles headed out towards the lair.

"So why are we here again?" Thea asked a few minutes later as the group was making their way down the stairs to the lair.

"You'll see." Sara said cryptically as she went to stand next to Diggle, Felicity, and Oliver.

"Roy..." Oliver started as he, Felicity, Diggle, and Sara stood together to face the younger three in the room. "We haven't always seen eye to eye on things. Nor have we always gotten along. However, you have proven to be an integral part of this Team. Your skills on the streets, passion for protecting people, willingness to learn, and dedication to this Team is what has brought us down here today. You have helped to save not only my life, but the lives of everyone on this Team on multiple occasions. We owe you our thanks."

"We know we haven't always made working with us easy, and yet you never give up." Diggle added with a smile, enjoying the look of shock on Roy's face as he listened to what they had to say. "You've trained really hard to get to where you are today and we are proud of everything you have accomplished."

"In the League of Assassins there is a tradition. Once a person has completed their training they go into a room and choose their weapon. For Nyssa it was the bow and arrow, I chose the bo staff. Each weapon has its own merits, and is only as good as the person who wields them." Sara said as she pulled the cover off of the first case revealing an array of weapons from arrows, to throwing knives, to metal batons.

Roy was speechless. He stepped up to the new weapons case and gently reached a hand out, lifting out one of the arrows. These looked the same as Oliver's, except for the fact that they were a deep red, deeper red than his hoodie. He turned to look at Oliver, still shocked as to what this meant.

"Are these mine?" Roy asked. Clearly they were, but he was still too shocked to completely process everything before him. Oliver smiled and nodded his head. He turned back to the case and looked over everything. Finally he noticed the empty spot in the center, the place where Oliver hung his bow in his weapons case.

"Oh, yeah, my turn!" Felicity said, slightly flustered. She had been having somuch fun watching Roy take everything in that she almost forgot it was her turn to speak. "We didn't get you just one weapon because you've proven your skill with each of these. However, you can't have arrows without a bow." Roy turned to look at her and she walked over to the last case that they had not unpacked yet, gesturing for Roy to follow her. "So you're going to need this." She gently opened the case and smiled as Roy's eyes grew bigger. "We had it custom made."

Roy could not believe his eyes, again. He reached out and carefully lifted the recurve bow from the case before him, gently turning it in his hand as he felt the weight and balance of the new weapon. The bow was also a deep red and black, just as the arrows were, and Roy knew without a shadow of a doubt that these were specifically made for  _him_.

"In the Army there is a uniform." Diggle commented after a minute, drawing the attention of everyone back across the room to where he stood next to the second of the display cases. "It's issued to a new soldier before they send him into battle. Your hoodie is great, but it's not our fabric of choice." He grabbed the cover of the case and slowly pulled it off as he continued to speak. "We prefer leather!"

Thea gasped in surprise as she watched the case before her light up, revealing a new leather suit inside. It was black and red, the same color as the arrow and Roy's new bow. She watched as he stepped closer to it, awestruck. It was a hooded suit, just like Oliver's, except in a different color. There were pockets on the pant legs that held metal batons. Where a gun holster would normally sit there was a pouch of smaller red fleshettes on one side, and throwing knives on the other. On the back she could see a red and black quiver full of red arrows. There were also heavy duty black boots to go with the outfit.

"Well... How'd we do?" Felicity asked, curious as always.

"It's..." Roy started to say, then realized he was speechless. "Wow!" Was all he managed to come up with.

"Why don't you go try it on." Oliver suggested with a huge smile on his face, clearly pleased with Roy's reaction.

Roy took the suit and went to change, still amazed at what his Team had done for him. Thea and Sin took the opportunity to step closer to the cases and see all that the Team had given Roy. Only a few short minutes later Roy reemerged, suited up.

"Looks good on you." Diggle commented with a smile as he took in the look of Roy fully suited up in the red leather.

"One more thing." Oliver said as he picked up a small box that had been sitting on Felicity's desk. He walked up to Roy and handed him the small box. "A friend once told me that if you survive a crucible you grow the stronger for it. This is to remind you of that."

Roy gently pulled out a new mask, this one a deeper red than the old one, the same deep red as his new suit, and he looked up to meet Oliver's eyes.

"Here, allow me." Thea said as she walked up to Roy. She took the mask from his hands and gently put it into place before reaching back and pulling up his hood. She stepped back and smiled, as did the rest of the group standing behind her in the lair.

"How do I look?" Roy asked Thea, caring only for her opinion at the moment. He smiled broadly at her response.

"Like a hero!"


	17. Tech Battle

"Where are we in tracking the Arrow?" The Dealer asked his men. He had been trying to track down the man in green for four days. Unfortunately for him, Starling City was quiet and low on crime during the time he had been in town, which meant the Arrow was nowhere to be seen.

"There haven't been any sightings since we've come to town." Andrew said from the bank of computers. "I've been searching everywhere and I can't find him. He must be hiding out."

"Well let's find a way to bring him out into the open then!" The Dealer growled at his men who were simply standing around doing nothing. "I want him found, and captured,  _ **AND I WANT IT DONE YESTERDAY**_!" He bellowed, causing his men to scatter to different part of the building.

"Sir, do you have anything particular in mind?" Andrew asked. He knew his boss had to have  _something_  in the works. He always did in cases like this.

"We are going to set a trap." The Dealer said with a smile as he watched the evening news.

"Go on." Andrew encouraged. He knew that whatever the man was thinking was going to be epic, and he found he was excited, and eagerly anticipating whatever was coming.

"Look, there's a big concert in town tomorrow." The Dealer said with a smile as he pointed to the television in front of him.

"Perfect place for something to happen." Andrew said with a smile as he started to pull up the schematics for the auditorium where the concert was to be held. "Shall I call David?"

"Yes." The Dealer said as he spun around to look at his right hand man. "Tell him it needs to be big." He told Andrew as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "I want to make  _sure_  the Arrow is there. It's time to see what we are up against."

* * *

"Well Roy, since you're already suited up what do you say to going on patrol?" Oliver asked, knowing the kid would want to try out his suit the first chance he could.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Roy said, the joy clearly evident in his voice.

"Let me suit up then we'll head out." Oliver said as he grabbed his own suit to go change.

"What does he mean patrol?" Sin asked, curious as to exactly  _how_  this Team worked.

"They are going to go out and roam the streets." Diggle explained. "If they keep up appearances then the bad guys will remember we're around and watching, and the good guys will continue to feel safe knowing we are still here."

"That makes sense." Thea said as she pulled up a chair next to Felicity. "And what do you do while they are all out on the town?" She asked the blonde.

"I keep in contact with them on the comms, keep an eye on the police scanners for anything going down in town, and I alert them if anything pops up, providing technical support if and when they need it." Felicity explained as she pulled out the comm units and placed them on the desk for the guys. "Are you and Sara joining them?" Felicity asked Diggle.

"Nah, it's a slow night so I think I'm going to go see Lyla." Diggle answered, thankful that they could take a relaxing night off for once.

"I'm going to go spend some time with Dad and Laurel before dinner." Sara commented just as Oliver walked back into the room.

"Sounds good." Oliver said as he strapped his quiver into place before putting his earpiece in so he could stay in contact with everyone.

"Oliver, remember dinner's at eight tonight." Felicity reminded him as she handed Oliver his mask.

"I know." Oliver said with a smile before he leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her cheek. "We're just going to do some quick rounds and help Roy break in his new suit."

"You sticking around?" Roy asked Thea as he put his comms unit in his ear as well.

"Yeah, I want to see how everything works if that okay with you Felicity." Thea said as she turned to ask the blonde next to her.

"That's fine Thea." Felicity answered with a smile.  _Maybe I can teach her a few things while we're at it_. She thought to herself.

"Be careful Roy." Thea told her boyfriend as she turned to face him, noting the smile on his face, reminding her just how handsome he was.

"I always am." Roy said as he leaned down to give Thea a kiss.

"Okay Roy, let's go." Oliver said as he turned to the stairs.

Once outside they took to the rooftops and started their patrol near the nightclubs in the Glades that were just opening for business for the evening.

* * *

"Boss." Andrew called to The Dealer. "I've got something."

"What is it?" The Dealer asked as he stood and walked over to the computers to see what his IT guy had found.

"The Arrow, I just found him." Andrew said as he pulled up the camera feed. "Looks like he's just roaming around." He commented to himself.

"Follow him. I want to know where he goes." The Dealer told Andrew.  _Time to see if I can figure out where his base of operations is._  He thought to himself. They both watched the computer screens, Andrew pinpointing each place the Arrow had been spotted on a map. Finally after about thirty minutes they found a pattern.

"It looks like he is just out on patrol." Andrew said to his boss who was looking over his shoulder. "Wait! What was that?" He had finally gotten a clear shot of the man in the hood on a security camera, and he wasn't alone. "There's someone else with him."

"Find out who that is!" The Dealer said with a growl. "I need to know who we are dealing with!" He turned back to his desk and sat down, looking over the schematics for the auditorium again.

* * *

"That's strange." Felicity said to herself as she suddenly started typing furiously. She had been showing Thea the ropes on accessing the traffic cameras and how to follow the guys with them when she noticed an irregularity.

"What's wrong Felicity?" Thea asked, curious about the sudden change in her soon to be sister-in-law.

"Someone else is following Roy and Oliver. They are accessing the same cameras that we are." Felicity explained as she continued to type furiously. "Oliver, Roy, you need to avoid cameras! Someone else is watching you with them." She said into her comms.  _The last thing we need is for someone else to be_ _tracking them._  She thought to herself.

"Do you know who it is Felicity?" Oliver asked as he and Roy changed directions, taking to the higher roofs where he knew the camera coverage was scarce.

"I'm willing to bet it's The Dealer." Felicity explained, not taking her eyes of her screens nor slowing her typing hands. "I'm going to try to back trace his signal and see if I can find his location."

"Keep me posted." Oliver responded.

"Always."

* * *

"Boss, we have a problem." Andrew told the other man.

"What is it now?" The Dealer growled.

"Someone's found my signal." Andrew explained as he typed furiously at his computer. "They're fast - and good."

"So  _lose_  them!" The last thing The Dealer wanted was for someone to figure out where they were based and send the Arrow after them.

"I'm going to change the network I'm using." Andrew commented as he worked furiously. "I can bounce the signal off satellites, thanks to ARGUS." He said to himself, just before his computer beeped out a warning. "NO!"

"What is happening?" The Dealer was getting impatient.

"They've almost found me. Man this guy is good!" Andrew said, angry that someone was just as good as he was.

"Pull the plug!" The Dealer demanded. "NOW!"

* * *

"What? Where'd he go?" Felicity asked no one in particular.

"Felicity?" Oliver had been listening in on her babbling and was now worried about what had happened.

"I lost him Oliver." Felicity explained, irritated. "His signal just disappeared. He was trying to bounce his signal off some ARGUS satellites but I had almost found him anyway. Then suddenly he just vanishes!"

"It's okay Felicity, I'm sure you'll have another chance to get him." Oliver said calmly. He knew that she would be worried and simply tried to comfort her as best he could from this distance.

Suddenly Oliver's phone rang. He answered on the second ring, the voice on the other end surprising him.

Roy followed Oliver to the rooftop where the Arrow used to meet with Detective Lance, before he knew who the Arrow was.

"Wait here." Oliver instructed, referring to the corner of the roof furthest away from the man they were to meet.

"You want some privacy so you can kick his ass for hitting on Felicity?" Roy asked jokingly.

"No, but I think he might want some." Oliver explained as he turned to meet the man on the other side of the roof. However, as the two began to speak Roy realized that even though Oliver hadn't left his comms unit on he could still hear everything.

* * *

Roy listened intently as Oliver spoke with Barry Allen. The kid had been struck by lightning, putting him in a coma for nine months. He had just recently woken up to realize that he now had 'super speed'. Roy drew himself out of his thoughts, where he had been thinking of all the advantages of that particular power, as Barry finished explaining what had brought him all the way to Starling City.

"So that's my story." Barry told Oliver. "I've spent my whole life searching for the impossible, never imagining that I would  _become_  the impossible."

"So why come to me?" Oliver asked. "Something tells me you didn't just run six hundred miles to say hi to a friend." Roy laughed quietly at Oliver's tone of voice.

"All my life I've wanted to do more,  _be_  more, and now I am and the first chance I get to help someone I screw up." Barry explained. Roy could hear the pain and regret in the other man's voice. He had been there, he knew how it felt. "I was chasing the bad guy and...and someone died."

"You really do this, you're going to make mistakes." Oliver told Barry. Roy could hear the complete honesty, the emotion, in his mentor's voice. Oliver was clearly remembering. "I've made mistakes. But the good you do will far outweigh the bad."

"What if Wells is right? What if I'm not a hero? What if I'm just some guy who was struck by lightning?" Barry questioned, clearly unsure if he would be able to do what he knew he  _needed_  to do. _Just like me._  Roy thought. He didn't know if, given his past, he would  _actually_  be able to make a difference, be the hero that Thea said he was.

"I don't think that bolt of lightning struck you Barry." Oliver told the younger man. "I think it  _chose_  you."

"I'm just not sure I'm like you Oliver. I don't know if I can be some... vigilante." Barry told Oliver.  _I get that one._  Roy thought, clearly seeing where Barry was going with this.  _I'm_ never _going to be able to make the difference Oliver does._

 _"_ You can be better." Oliver told him. "Because you can inspire people, in a way that I never could. Watching over your city like a guardian angel. Making a difference. Saving people... In a flash."

Oliver turned and moved a few steps away, waving Roy over.

"Who are you?" Barry asked as he looked Roy over.

"He's my partner." Oliver explained with a smile. "Barry Allen, meet Roy Harper."

"Hey." Roy said, noting that Barry looked only slightly shocked.

"That's quite an arsenal you've got there Roy." Barry commented as he noted the various weapons on Roy's person.

"Take your own advice." Oliver said with a smile as he turned back to Barry one last time. "Wear a mask."

With that Oliver turned and ran to the edge of the building, Roy right behind him. They leapt over the side simultaneously and each loosed a grappling arrow into the building next door. Both Oliver and Roy came to a stop hanging from their ropes on the side of the building and Roy looked over to see Barry running away in a streak of red. Only one word came to mind.

"Cool!"


	18. News

"You guys have made us  _so_  late!" Felicity said as soon as Roy and Oliver entered the lair. "We were supposed to be at the Mansion twenty minutes ago. Your mom's going to kill us!"

"Felicity, I don't think mom's going to be that mad." Thea said with a laugh as she hugged Roy, subtly checking to make sure he was still in one piece. "Besides, I texted her to let her know we were running late. I don't think she'll make a big deal out of it now that she knows."

"Thea's right Felicity." Oliver said as he placed his bow back in the case. "Don't worry about it. Roy and I will change and we can go." He smiled at her just before placing a small kiss on her lips.

It only took the men five minutes to be ready to leave again and they were soon on their way to the Queen Mansion. Thea and Oliver had been right, there was no need to worry. When they walked in the front door of the mansion they were each greeted with a hug from Moira.

"Sorry we're late mom." Oliver said as he returned her hug.

"I assume it was unavoidable." Moira commented with a smile.

"Yes, we got a call from a friend who needed to talk." Oliver explained vaguely. He noticed the questioning look from Felicity and simply gave her a look that said they would talk later.

The group moved to the dining room where the Lance family and Walter were gathered.

"Everything good on the Arrow front?" Lance asked, curious as to whether or not it was a new case that had kept the group.

"Everything's fine Detective." Oliver smiled, happy that he no longer had to hide the truth or make his sorry excuses. He was finally able to be honest with those in this room and it had taken a huge load off of his shoulder.

"Does that mean we can eat then? Because I'm starving!" Roy commented as he smelled the delicious food in the kitchen.

Everyone laughed as they sat down to enjoy a nice leisurely dinner with friends and family.

* * *

"David Wilson has arrived sir." Andrew told his boss as he escorted the man into the office.

"Wonderful!" The Dealer said with glee as he rose to shake David's hand. "Good to see you again David."

"Sir." David answered, clearly ready to get to the point. "I understand that you have a job for me?"

"Yes, there is a concert in this auditorium tomorrow." The Dealer told the man as they walked over to look at the blueprints spread out on the table. "I want you to blow it up."

"How large of an explosion would you like?" David asked with a smile, already planning out the bomb in his head.

"As large as you want! I'm trying to get someones attention with it." The Dealer answered. He wanted to  _make sure_  that this would draw out the Arrow. He knew David would  _not_  fail him.

"I'll need some supplies." David commented distractedly as he looked over the blueprints before him.

"I'll give you a list of places you can find what you need." The Dealer informed him. "You can get anything you want in this town... you just have to know where to look."

* * *

Detective Lance was excited to finally share his news. He had managed to wait until they were well into the meal, however the excitement was officially too much to bear.

"Okay everyone, I have an announcement to make." Lance finally said, the excitement clear in his voice as he stood, gaining the attention of everyone at the table.

"As you all know I was demoted to Officer after the Chief learned I was working with the Arrow." Lance started to explain, however he saw a slight look of regret on Oliver's face at those words and knew he had to clear that up between them first. "Oliver, it wasn't your fault! I chose to work with you remember? You did  _not_  force me into anything!" He finally smiled when he saw Oliver's hesitant nod, indicating that he understood.

"Anyway, in light of recent events, mainly how I haven't screwed anything up recently and the fact that they are a couple of guys short, they have chosen to give me a second chance." Lance paused for effect, smiling broadly at the looks on his daughter's faces as they understood what he was telling them.

"Dad?!" Laurel asked hesitantly, unsure if she was understanding him correctly.

"Yeah!" Lance said with a huge grin. "They made me a Detective again!"

Everyone at the table stood to congratulate the Detective. They had all, especially Team Arrow, felt guilty after Lance had been demoted seeing as it was because he had been working with them. Oliver knew what advantages the Team would have now that Lance was a Detective once again. He also knew that they would have to be more careful in order for this partnership to work again.

"Looks like we are back in business in a whole new way." Lance said to Oliver as they shook hands.

"What do you mean Detective?" Oliver asked, confused.

"They made me more than just a Detective." Lance explained, still giddy over the news. "I am also the new SCPD Liaison to the Arrow and his Team!"

"What? Dad are you serious?" Sara asked as she looked at Oliver, noting his shocked expression.

"There was a long debate over the issue, but, most of the Force agrees that the Arrow and his Team have done nothing but good for this city." Lance explained and he pulled Sara close with an arm around her shoulder. "The Chief decided that if you're going to go after bad guys you might as well be on our side and help us out."

"Wow!" Felicity said, completely speechless. Which for her was saying a lot in this situation!

"We won't be hunting you anymore Oliver." Lance told the younger man. He was so excited that he was able to share this news with the Team personally.

"Thank you Detective!" Oliver said around a lump in his throat. He had never envisioned that this would happen, that the SCPD would stop hunting him, and actually welcome his help and that of his Team.

"Well, shall we celebrate the good news with some dessert?" Moira asked once the excitement had died down a bit. She couldn't describe the joy, and relief, that she felt at the Detective's news.

The group had just sat down to dessert when Lance's phone rang. Oliver and Sara immediately looked to him as he stood and stepped out to answer the call. Lance was only out of the room for a moment before he returned and looked at Oliver.

"We have a problem!"

* * *

David moved quickly once he entered the warehouse. He knew that he had to move fast if he was going to get everything that he needed before the cops showed up. He needed to get all of the C4 the warehouse had loaded into the truck, as well as some electronics and wiring to go with it. The only thing slowing him down was that he had incompetent teens to help him.

David simply hoped that The Dealer had been right and that he  _would_  be able to get this done before the cops, or the Arrow, showed up.

* * *

"What's wrong Detective?" Oliver asked, already standing and moving to the door.

"Someone's broken into a warehouse in the Glades." Lance explained as Oliver, Felicity, Sara, and Roy all gathered around him.

"That happens all the time, what's the big deal with this one?" Sara asked curiously, even as she put her leather jacket on.

"The guy who broke in." Lance explained. "His name is David Wilson and he's a master bomb maker."

At that comment Oliver, Sara, and Roy ran for the SUV parked outside.

"They'll go suit up and meet you there." Felicity said quickly as she and Lance followed the Team out the door.

"Don't worry mom, they'll be fine." Thea said to her mom who looked shocked at how quickly things had changed from a nice dinner to half the guests running out the door.

* * *

Once in the SUV the Team began working on their plan.

"Roy, call Diggle and have him meet us at the lair." Oliver instructed as he expertly maneuvered the vehicle around traffic on the way to Verdant.

"Felicity, see what you can find out about the warehouse, and the man breaking into it." Oliver said to Felicity as she began to search for information on her tablet.

"Oliver, Dad said this man's name was David Wilson." Sara said cautiously. "You don't think he's any relation to..."

"I don't know Sara, but if he is we have to be extra careful!"


	19. The Warehouse

Oliver, Roy, and Sara ran down the stairs to the lair with Felicity close behind. As Oliver flew over the last few steps he started to talk to Diggle who had beat them there.

"What do you have Digg?" Oliver asked as he grabbed his suit from the case in order to change and get out on the streets as quickly as possible.

"We have three targets." Diggle explained as he finished readying his weapons for the mission that was about to start. "One of them is a David Wilson. He's been on the SCPD radar for several years after he blew up a high school five years ago. He's working with two teenagers. The security footage shows them just starting to load stuff into a large black van. If we want to catch them before they get too far then we have to get moving!"

"Felicity..." Oliver started to give instructions before his fiancé cut him off.

"I'm pulling up all of the security feeds from the warehouse." Felicity told the Team. "I'll also work up what I can on the three targets." She explained as she was already typing furiously at her computers.

"Roy, there's one last present for you in the garage." Oliver commented as he tossed Roy, who was now fully suited up as well, a set of keys before he moved quickly to the stairs and his waiting bike. "Try not to crash it!"

"Oliver!" Felicity called as she turned to watch the Team run up the stairs. "I love you! Come back to me!"

Oliver turned briefly, long enough for Felicity to see that he heard her and to smile, letting her know that he would  _always_  come back to her.

"You got me my own Ducati?" Roy asked as Sara and Oliver mounted two of the now three bikes in their hidden garage. "Awesome!"

"Let's go kid!" Oliver said as he gunned his own bike and peeled out of the alley, heading to the warehouse at top speed.

* * *

"What do we have officer?" Lance asked as soon as he stepped out of his vehicle. It felt good being able to ask questions and investigate again.

"There are three targets inside." The officer told Lance.

"Why haven't we gone in yet?" Lance demanded. There was no good reason to  _not_  go in unless there was either an explosive device, or hostages.

"They're holding three security guards hostage." The office informed him. "There is nothing we can do until a negotiator gets here. The one in charge has threatened to kill them if SCPD goes in."

"Well luckily we won't have to." Lance told the young officer. He heard the familiar sounds of Oliver's and Sara's bikes coming down the road and knew that they would soon have the help that they needed.

"What do you mean?" The officer asked him.

"The Arrow is going to help us out on this one." Lance said with a smile as he saw not two, but three bikes come into view. He briefly wondered how the Team had made it here so quickly, even with a stop at the lair, before realizing that that would be a mystery he would probably never solve.

"The Arrow? Aren't we supposed to arrest him if we can catch him?" The officer asked.

"No Officer, we are now working with the Arrow and his Team. Detective Lance will coordinate with them from now on." The Police Chief said as he walked up beside the other two. He had come to the scene as soon as he heard what was going on as he had suspected that the Arrow would show up. Hewanted to make sure that the first case the SCPD and the Arrow worked together, willingly, went smoothly and that he hadn't made a mistake in calling off the hunt for the man in green. He turned as three motorcycles came skidding to a stop a few feet from them.

"What do we have Detective?" Oliver asked, his voice changer on to mask his true identity.

"Who are you?" The officer asked, pointing to Sara and Roy who stood on either side of him.

"This is the Arrow, the Black Canary, and..." Detective Lance introduced quickly as he pointed to Oliver and then Sara. However, he didn't know what name Roy was going by so was hesitant when he got to the younger man.

"Arsenal." Oliver said quickly before asking again about what the officers knew.

"There are three targets and three hostages inside. All three hostages are security guards." Detective Lance explained.  _ **  
**_

"Location?" Sara asked, anxious to get to work.

"Unknown." The Detective told the Team. Oliver shook his head once before turning to his team.

"Canary, go in from the east. Arsenal, take the west entrance. I'll take the roof." Oliver instructed before turning to loose a grappling arrow to the tallest point on the building, quickly being pulled up to the roof as the rest of his Team moved into place. "Diggle take the back entrance." Oliver instructed as he reached the top of the roof. "Felicity, do you have anything for us?" Oliver asked as he moved quickly to a skylight that showed the center of the warehouse.

"It looks like the hostages are in an office in the back east corner." Felicity said quickly. "You know, I'm going to need a code name too. I mean you're the Arrow, Sara is the Black Canary, Roy is the Arsenal. If you guys are going to talk to me over the radio in front of people I'm going to need a nickname and so is Diggle too." Felicity said quickly as she sifted through the security feeds in the building.

"Felicity!" Oliver called, quickly putting a stop to Felicity's rambling.

"Right. Sorry."

"Can you cut the power to the building?" Sara asked, noticing that all the lights were on in the building making a stealth approach more difficult.

"Yup..." Felicity said with a pop. "In three, two, one."

The whole building went dark suddenly and the Team quickly made their entrance. Diggle and Sara moving to free the hostages as they were closestto them, and Roy and Oliver moving to find, and take down, the three targets.

* * *

"Do you really think this was a good idea?" The officer asked as he watched the Arrow and team move towards the building. He had always disliked the Arrow seeing as the vigilante worked outside the law. He was not a fan of the SCPD now openly working with the Arrow and his team.

"Would you rather go in there and face them while they are holdingthree hostages?" Lance asked the younger manas they watched the Arrow land gracefully on the roof of the warehouse.

"No, but that doesn't mean he should either." The officer argued as he pointed towards where the Arrow had landed.

"Let's just see how this plays out before we start making decisions on whether or not this was the right call, okay?!" The Captain said as he watched Arsenal run to a side entrance of the building.

"Woah, what just happened?" The officer asked as all the lights in the building suddenly went off. They could no longer see anything in or around the warehouse.

"It was probably Team Arrow." Lance commented reassuringly as he knew that it was probably Felicity that had killed the lights, making it easier for the Team to enter the building.

"Team Arrow?" The Captain asked curiously.

"You got a better name for them?" Lance asked as he turned to smile at the Captain.

"Not yet."

* * *

"Hurry up!" David yelled at the teens who were moving incredibly slowly. "We have to get out of here, now!"

Suddenly all the lights in the building went out, leaving them in complete darkness, just seconds before the skylight above them shattered. It was then that David knew they had been too slow and the Arrow had arrived. He quickly turned to make his escape, however that was not meant to be.

"David Wilson! Stop!" A deep voice growled from directly behind him. He turned slowly as he raised his weapon, ready to shoot.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Roy almost whispered, menacingly, from right beside David.

David looked towards the voice beside him and saw a man dressed in a deep red outfit, with an arrow nocked and ready to fire at him. Looking in front of him he saw another man in a similar suit, just deep green, also aiming an arrow at him.

"The hostages are safe." Diggle said over the comms.

"I have the two teens as well." Sara added. "They didn't put up much of a fight." Sara had found the two teens on her way to find the hostages and had easily taken them out with a couple of well-aimed hits from her bo staff.

"Put down your weapon David. We already have your accomplices in custody and the hostages have been freed." Oliver told the man, hoping that he would actually listen to him.

David knew there was little chance he was going to make it out of here without a fight.  _It's a good thing I never stand down from a fight._  He thought as he raised his hands over his head, weapon still in hand.

Roy lowered his bow and stepped towards David to take his weapon when suddenly the man lowered the gun again and fired at him. Roy saw the move just in time to duck out of the way, however, he still felt the sharp sting of a bullet in his left arm.

Oliver watched as David raised his arms, like he was surrendering. However, in a split second the man had lowered his weapon. Oliver knew he was going to open fire on Roy and loosed his arrow just as the man fired. His arrow knocked the weapon out of the man's hand and Oliver immediately nocked and loosed a second arrow, pinning the man to a pillar just behind him.

"Roy?" Oliver asked just after loosing the second arrow.

"I'm fine." Roy reassured his Team. "Just a graze."

"Guys?" Felicity asked over the comms, needing to know if her Team was safe as she had heard the gunshots.

"We are all okay Felicity. Handing over the men to the SCPD then we are on our way back." Oliver commented, nodding to Diggle to go ahead and head back as they could easily deliver the men to the police right outside.

Oliver and Sara moved to cuff David as Roy kept an arrow aimed at the man, ready to shoot him if he tried anything. Oliver, however, took an extra measure to make sure the man wouldn't try and harm any of them and placed a well-aimed hit to the man's jaw, dazing him and letting him know that there was no way he could escape at the same time.

* * *

It was less than two minutes after Team Arrow entered the building that Lance saw the hostages running around from the back of the warehouse. It was only a couple of minutes after that that Team Arrow exited the warehouse as well, each leading a cuffed man.

"Well that was fast." The Chief of Police commented. He was surprised that less than five minutes after the Arrow and his team had arrived the situation was resolved - and with no injuries to the hostages.  _ **  
**_

"The hostages have all been freed, unharmed. Here are your three perpetrators." The Arrow informed them as officers led the three cuffed men to squad cars.

"Thank you." Detective Lance told the Arrow, sincerity clear in his voice.

"Anytime Detective." Oliver commented as he turned to follow his Team back to their bikes.

"How can we reach you the next time we need your help?" The Chief asked as he watched the three people in leather walk away.

"Detective Lance knows how to reach me." The Arrow told him before peeling away on his motorcycle, the rest of his team following.

"Well, sir." Lance said with a smile as he turned to the Chief of Police. "Do you think we made the right decision?"

"I think that crime in Starling City is going to go down even more, now that we have the Arrow on our side." The Chief commented.

"He's always been on our side, sir." 


	20. Injury

As Roy, Oliver, Sara, and Diggle descended the stairs to the lair once again Roy could feel the aches in every part of his body. It hadn't been all that long ago that he had had his ass handed to him by his Dad and then tonight the graze from the bullet just brought the aches and pains back to the forefront of his mind. He took stock of everything that hurt and then determined to shove all the pain back into a box and lock it away. The Team had work to do and he didn't have time to be distracted.

"Felicity, we need to find out what those guys were trying to steal from the warehouse." Oliver told his fiancé as he walked over and put his bow back in his case.

"I'm already on it." Felicity said with a smile directed towards Oliver. "I've already talked to Detective Lance and he's going to give us the information just as soon as they have it."

"Good." Oliver said with a smile as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "What do we have on the thieves?"

Felicity went into a description of the two teens who had just recently gotten out of Juvie for breaking and entering, and assault charges. They weren't any real threat as long as they weren't allowed back on the street where they could get into trouble again. They would probably be spending several months back in the system to keep them out of trouble.

As Oliver and Felicity were talking, Diggle went to grab a few medical supplies, knowing that they would need to at least clean the bullet graze on Roy's arm. They all paid close attention to the information that Felicity was passing along as they waited for the phone call from Lance, but Diggle knew that he could perform his medic duties at the same time.

"Roy." Diggle called to the younger teammate. When the younger man met his eyes he motioned to the medical table. "Let me see that graze."

Roy lifted himself onto the table and started to carefully peel his leather jacket off so that Diggle could see the graze in his arm.

"Roy, that is  _not_  a graze." Diggle said to the younger man as the wound on Roy's arm became visible. A graze would have only required cleaning and maybe a bandage. No, this was a deep flesh wound.

"What's wrong John?" Sara asked as she turned to see what was going on with the guys.

Diggle's tone of voice also drew the attention of Oliver and Felicity as well as they both turned to the men and Oliver walked to the medical table.

"Roy?" Oliver asked questioningly. "Why did you tell us it was just a graze? That is a deep flesh wound and will need stitches."

"It's not that bad guys." Roy argued, not wanting to make a big deal out of it.

"Half an inch to the left and I'd be digging a bullet out of your arm." Diggle commented as he set to work cleaning the wound.

"I honestly didn't think it was that bad." Roy said sincerely. It wasn't that he was trying to keep things from the Team. He had truly not realized how bad it was until he got his jacket off.

"It's okay Roy." Oliver said calmly as he placed a hand gently on Roy's right shoulder. "I know it can be challenging to know just how bad a wound is until you get to really looking at it, especially with adrenaline blocking the pain. Just make sure, whenever you  _do_  know it's worse, that you actually tell us okay."

"Yeah." Roy said quietly. He understood what Oliver was saying and, as much as he didn't want to worry the Team, he realized how important honesty was when dealing with injuries.

Thankfully, before the Team could discuss the issue much further Felicity's computers beeped and Oliver, Felicity, and Sara all gathered around the computers to see what had been found.

"You know that no one's mad at you right?" Diggle asked as he started put the stitches in. "We're just looking out for you."

"Yeah, I know." Roy answered. "I hate that I'm worrying you guys."

"You're not worrying us by telling us how bad you're hurt." Diggle told him. "You're being honest with your Teammates and letting them know if, and how, your injuries will affect your ability to keep going. If you had a bullet in your arm Oliver wouldn't expect you to rappel your way down a building. Just like if  _he_  had a bullet in his arm he would compensate and change his plan accordingly as well. We all have to know how best to keep going as a Team and we can only do that if we know what each person is capable of in a given situation."

* * *

Diggle and Roy were silent as Diggle finished putting in the stitches and Roy heaved a sigh of relief when it was done. Just as Roy was pulling his jacket back on Oliver's phone rang.

"Detective." Oliver answered, ready for an update from the SCPD. Felicity put his phone on speaker so the whole Team could hear the discussion.

"I have some information for you." Lance told the Arrow. This was the first chance he really had to use his position as liaison and he was excited to be openly talking to Team Arrow in front of his superiors.

"What do you have Detective." Oliver asked, aware that Lance was calling form the Precinct as he could hear the other officers talking in the background.

"First thing, and most important is that David Wilson escaped from the squad car on the way to the Precinct. We have officers looking for him, but I figured your Team could work your magic as well and try and help us find him." Lance started by explaining.

Felicity immediately started pulling up traffic camera feeds from the time the Team left the warehouse and started looking for where David Wilson could have gone.

"What else?" Oliver asked as he watched Felicity work.

"We figured out what he was after." Lance continued to explain. He had not been at all surprised at what they had been stealing, considering the man that they had arrested.

"What is it Detective?" Oliver asked, getting slightly frustrated at how hesitant Lance was to divulge the information.

"Enough C4 to blow up the Starling City Theater, and there's a concert being held there tonight."


	21. Planning

Everyone in the lair froze and stared at each other for a moment. Each person knew what would have happened if David Wilson had gotten away with that much C4. The Theater would have been leveled, with everyone still inside.

"Detective, what time does the concert start?" Oliver asked, already working on a plan.

"Seven thirty tonight." Lance answered, curious as to what Team Arrow would be planning.

"We need to co-ordinate a plan of attack for this and we could really use your help and that of your Team, Arrow." The Chief of Police commented. He had been listening in to the conversation easily as Detective Lance had the conversation on speaker phone in his office. "If we are to work together then we need to know what you're planning." _ **  
**_

"I will call you again in three hours Detective." Oliver told Lance. "We will discuss our plan then." Oliver then hung up the phone, effectively ending the conversation.

"What do you have in mind?" Sara asked as she and the Team stood gathered around Felicity's computers.

"I don't know yet. That's why I told him I'd call back in three hours." Oliver admitted.  _ **  
**_

"I'll start pulling up the schematics for the Theater." Felicity told the Team, her fingers already flying over her keyboard.

"Can you also run a search and find out where else he could get the C4?" Oliver asked. "I need to know if he can still get that amount in time to build a bomb for the concert."

"What can we do to help?" Roy asked, ready to do something useful.

"Everyone grab a couple of hours of sleep." Oliver instructed. "We need to be at the top of our game tonight."

Oliver pulled a chair up and sat next to Felicity. He knew that there was no way he would be getting any sleep now, and he suspected that even though he told his Team to get some rest that it would not be happening anytime soon. His thoughts were confirmed as he watched Sara and Roy move to the mats and begin sparring and Diggle moved to his armory and begin meticulously cleaning his weapons. He turned his attention back to the monitors in front of him.

"Here are the plans for the Theater." Felicity said as she pulled up the documents on the screen right in front of Oliver. "I figured you could start working on those while I try and find anything that will help."

"Thanks Felicity." Oliver commented sincerely. He still to this day could not figure out how he and Diggle had managed things before Felicity came into the Team - and into their lives.  _ **  
**_

His smile grew again as he noticed a small countdown clock appear in the top corner of all the monitors in the room. This would allow them to keep track of how much time remained before the concert started. They officially had seventeen and a half hours to put together and execute a plan to keep those attending the concert safe.

* * *

"Did the Arrow just hang up on us?" The Chief of Police asked Detective Lance.

"Yes." Lance answered with a hint of a smile. The fact that Oliver had hung up on them had not surprised him in the least. "He has work to do."

"Yeah, well so do we." The Chief growled as he turned to look out the office window to the sleeping city outside. "How are we supposed to work together, come up with a plan of attack, when the man won't even talk to us?"

"The only reason he didn't stay on the phone and work out a plan is because he needs to know what we are all looking at before the thought of a plan even begins. We never start talking plan of attack on any raid until we know what we are potentially walking into." Lance argued, hoping he could calm the Chief down enough to give Oliver and his Team a chance. "He's probably looking over the schematics for the Theater right now trying to figure out if and where a device could be placed and the best way to approach it. He also probably has his Team looking for other places that Wilson could find that much C4, something we should already be doing."

The Chief of Police turned to look at Lance with chagrin. The Detective was right, on all counts, and he couldn't believe he had allowed his irritation to cloud his judgment.

"You're right." The Chief finally said. "Get someone searching to see where Wilson could find that much C4 in case he still plans on making that bomb. Where are we on finding him?"

"We have a BOLO out, but nobody has seen him yet." Lace explained, happy to see that the Chief finally had his head back in the game. "We're still looking and so is the Arrow and his Team."

"Let me know as soon as  _anyone_  finds anything." The Chief instructed.

Lance turned to leave the office, looking back at the Chief just before he exited the room.

"He'll call us back as soon as he has a plan." Lance told the Chief. "He wouldn't screw this up, just like we should try hard not to. This partnership is too valuable to the City to mess up!"

* * *

David Wilson walked back into the warehouse infuriated.

"You set me up!" David bellowed as the Dealer came into sight. "You  _knew_ those kids were too stupid to pull this off. Why did you even call me in here if you didn't want me to succeed? Did you want me to get arrested? What would you have done if I hadn't escaped?"

"I wanted to get the attention of the Arrow and his Team." Roy Sr. commented as he spun in his chair to face the angry man before him, his hands tented in front of him at the fingertips. "We have done that very effectively. I also needed to know how many people worked with the Arrow. That was also confirmed as we now know he has a Team of at least three people if not more. Don't worry, you can still find the C4 that you need if you still choose to do so. Or, you can assist me in moving forward with the preparations in the other warehouse."

"Revenge." David whispered, a glint of anticipation now evident in his eyes.

"Yes. Revenge!"

* * *

It had been two hours since they got the call from Detective Lance. The Team was tired but no one went home as they all knew that there were a  _lot_  of lives at stake if they didn't figure out David Wilson's next move.

Oliver stood from his place next to Felicity and walked around the lair, stretching his legs. It was still early, only four thirty in the morning, and they still had a long day ahead of them. As Oliver looked around he saw Roy sleeping on the cot, thankfully. Sara was curled up in a chair in the corner getting some rest, even though Oliver could tell she was not fully asleep. Diggle had been sitting next to him going over the schematics for the Theater and working on a plan. They had one hour left before it was time to call Detective Lance and they were almost ready.

"Felicity, can you pull up the buildings surrounding the Theater?" Diggle asked as he stretched in his chair.

"Sure." Felicity answered as the pictures and maps popped up on his monitor.

"Digg?" Oliver asked as he walked back over to the computer they had been working on.

"Well, we already know the key places that a bomb would be placed." Diggle commented. "We can easily sweep the building before the concert to ensure that there isn't one already there. Once people start arriving the SCPD should be able to handle security on the ground. We can easily take up positions on the buildings surrounding the Theater to keep watch and be available should anything start to go down."

"I'll be monitoring all the cameras and looking for anything suspicious." Felicity commented as she took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the sleep from them. "I was also thinking that it might be a good idea to give Detective Lance an earpiece so that he can communicate with us throughout the evening."

"Great idea Felicity." Oliver said with a smile as he placed a hand gently on her shoulder. He could tell that she was exhausted and he knew they would all need to take a break and get some food and sleep before the mission tonight.

Sara and Roy both rose from where they were resting and sleeping just as Oliver and Diggle began to discuss where the Team would pace themselves for the evening. They all gathered around the Computer monitor and discussed the pros and cons of each position and ironed out the remaining details.

The Team finally finished their planning two minutes before Oliver was due to call Detective Lance back.


	22. Rendezvous

Detective Lance walked into the Chief's office with a steaming cup of coffee five minutes before they were expecting to hear from Team Arrow. Lance was giddy now that they could openly work together and he hoped that the Chief would see how valuable this partnership was by the end of this case. Right now it seemed like the Chief wasn't too happy with the Arrow and Lance knew that the only way Oliver could gain the man's trust was to bring this guy down before anyone got hurt.

"Detective, any word from the Arrow?" The Chief of Police asked as Lance entered his office.

"Not yet." Lance answered as he took a seat in one of the two chairs in front of the man's desk.

"Will we actually hear from him?" The Chief asked skeptically.

Just as Lance was about to answer the Chief his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and gave the Chief a pointed look as he answered the phone and put it on speaker.

"Detective Lance."

"Detective, we have a plan. Meet me at the normal rendezvous point." The Arrow instructed.

"We can be there in ten minutes." Lance commented, both for the Arrow's benefit as well as that of the Chief sitting in front of him. The Arrow hung up before either man had a chance to say anything else.

"Is he always that rude?" The Chief asked as he stood and grabbed his jacket.

"No, not rude." Lance answered as the two men walked out of the office together. "Just to the point. There's no reason to waste time on pleasantries when the city is in danger."

"Well, we'll see. Right now I just want to bring this guy in without any bloodshed."

"So does he sir, so does he." Lance commented as the two men got into the Chief's car and headed to meet the Arrow and his Team.

* * *

Oliver hung up the phone and turned to his Team. He noted that Roy was strapping on his quiver, Sara was adjusting her blonde wig, and Diggle was holstering his weapon. Apparently his Team was ready for action. He smiled as he realized that they were always ready to help protect the city. He never had to ask.

"Take this with you." Felicity told Oliver as she handed him a tablet. "You break it and I'll hurt you. Just so you know. It has a military grade case on it so you  _shouldn't_ be able to break it, but please don't try. I've uploaded all the documents that you will need to it. I also have remote access so if you need anything else, or I find anything, I can send it straight to you. Here is a flash drive with the information as well. Give it to Detective Lance so the SCPD will have a copy of what you have there. Oh, and Oliver, I love you!" Felicity finally stopped long enough to take in a deep breath and smile.

"I love you too Felicity." Oliver said as he leaned down and gave the blonde a gentle kiss. "We'll be back soon."

* * *

Lance and the Chief pulled up to the building where they were to meet the Arrow in silence. Lance was still excited to actually be able to work with the Arrow and not get in trouble for it. He was also anxious for the Chief to see just what Team Arrow could do and how well they work together as a unit.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" The Chief asked curiously.

I'm sure." Lance answered encouragingly as he walked to the stairs that led to the roof.

"How long are we going to have to wait for him to show up?" The Chief asked, slightly winded from walking up several flights of stairs.

"He's probably already here." Lance answered as they reached the landing that marked the halfway point of their climb.

* * *

Oliver, Sara, and Roy quickly made their way to where they were to meet Detective Lance on their bikes, followed closely by Diggle in the SUV.

"Sara, Roy, you're with me." Oliver instructed as they neared the building. "Diggle, you're on overwatch."

"Copy." Diggle quickly replied as he parked the vehicle on the street, quickly getting out and making his way to the roof of the building next door that would allow a good view of the street in three directions around the building, as well as a bird's eye view of the roof where they were to meet with Detective Lance and the Chief.

The rest of the Team quickly made their way to the roof where they were to have the meeting and waited patiently as they watched the sleeping city.

* * *

Detective Lance and the Chief finally made it to the top of the stairs and the Chief had to stop for a moment to catch his breath.  _He's obviously not used to being in the field so much._  Lance thought as he waited impatiently. Finally the other man stood and nodded. They both turned and walked through the door that gained them access to the roof.

When the Chief of the Starling City Police Department first stepped on the roof he only saw the Arrow, standing with his back to the door. He wasn't even sure the man had heard them arrive. However, he quickly realized that he was wrong as the Arrow turned to them and spoke.

"Hello Detective, Chief." The Arrow greeted them, just as two more people came into view. One person stood on each side of the Arrow. The Black Canary, and the Arsenal, both fully armed.  _Does this man go anywhere without his Team to watch his back?_  He thought to himself as Lance moved forward to meet the Arrow in the middle of the roof. He slowly followed, curious as to how things were going to play out this time, and whether or not the Arrow was going to have better manners.

"Arrow." Lance greeted the man in green. "What do you have for us?"

"We have a plan to run by you." The Arrow said as he pulled out what looked like a tablet and handed it to the Chief of Police. "We have isolated the places within the theater that would cause the most damage were an explosive device to be placed there. We suggest a thorough search of each of these locations before anyone arrives to the theater for the concert this evening."

"That's reasonable enough." The Chief commented as he looked at the information on the tablet.

"Then what?" Detective Lance asked curiously, knowing that there was a lot more to Team Arrow's plan.

"We suggest a police presence outside the theater as the guests start to arrive." The Arrow continued to explain as he was careful to keep his face turned into the shadows. "We suggest positioning squad cars at the locations indicated on the map. There should be several officers at each location in the event something happens."

The Chief of Police took his time looking at the map that he had been provided. So far the plan seemed solid, however even the newest cop on the Force could come up with this plan. He wasn't impressed so far.

"I also strongly suggest having several plain clothed officers within the crowd to keep an eye out for anything suspicious." The Arrow continued to explain. "They should be concert goers, concessions workers, even janitorial staff. They need to be placed throughout the facility strategically and remain undetected."

"What if we don't have the manpower for that kind of operation?" The Chief asked. This would take quite a few officers and he wasn't sure he had enough to not only watch the concert but protect the city at the same time.

"I would suggest you find a way to make it work Chief." The Arrow almost growled. "I would hate to see what would happen if an explosion did go off at the concert with the number of people planning to attend."

"What else do you have planned?" Detective Lance asked, trying to ease some of the tension between his boss and the Arrow.

"We will have our tech running facial recognition on everyone that enters the concert. We request that you share all known associates of David Wilson with us to make the search run more smoothly." The Arrow asked.

"How is your tech going to run facial recognition on everyone that enters the building?" The Chief asked curiously.

"They have access to all the security cameras in and around the building as well as all traffic cameras in the area." The Arrow explained, almost smugly.

"How..." The Chief started to ask before Detective Lance interrupted.

"I think we can arrange to get you the needed information." Lance commented as he looked to his boss with a pointed look, awaiting approval. He smiled when the Chief gave a small nod of his head indicating that the information could be shared.

"How can we get it to you?" Lance asked.

"Here is a flash drive with all the information that we have shared with you. You will find an e-mail address on the drive that you can send the information to." The Arrow instructed as he passed the drive in question to Detective Lance.

"And where are you and your Team going to be during this whole thing?" The Chief asked, still curious as to what part the Arrow and his Team would be playing in this whole operation. "How will we be able to contact you?"

"We will provide Detective Lance with a comms unit. He will be able to communicate with us directly." The Arrow explained. "We will deliver it upon commencement of the mission."

"And your Team?" The Chief asked again.

"We will be keeping watch from these buildings surrounding the Theater." The Arrow informed the men as he brought up another map on the tablet. "These positions will allow us to keep a close eye on things all around the buildings and we will have quick and easy access to the Theater itself should anyone, or anything, be spotted. We can breach the building within moments of being alerted."

The Chief took a few extra moments to examine the map indicating the locations where Team Arrow would be posted. Lance glanced over, curious as to what had the man's attention. Finally, however, the man asked the question that was clearly eating at him.

"I've only ever seen you with two other people." The Chief said accusingly as he looked up to the Arrow. "There are four dots on this map. Is there someone else that you haven't introduced us to yet?"

The Arrow smiled, making him look almost more menacing that he already was.

"Yes." The Arrow admitted.

"Don't you think it important that we are familiar with everyone on your Team?" The Chief sounded offended that he had not been told about the rest of the Arrow's Team.

"No." The Arrow answered. "You don't  _need_  to meet every person on my Team. All you need to know is that we have each other's backs at all times, and each person on my Team would willingly give their lives to keep the people of Starling City safe without ever thinking twice about it."

"Sir, I think they have proven their dedication to the safety of the City on more than one occasion." Detective Lance commented as he looked from the Arrow to the Chief, noting the stubborn looks on both men's faces.

"Arrow." The Arsenal called quietly to the man in green as he stepped forward and placed a hand on the other man's arm. "Overwatch found something that needs our attention."

The Arrow turned and looked at the younger man in red for a moment before turning back to the Chief to take back the tablet in his hands.

"If you'll excuse us, we have work to do." The Arrow said before quickly turning and following the rest of his Team to the edge of the roof. "We will meet you on the roof of the dance studio across the street from the Theater at dusk."

Before either man could say anything Team Arrow disappeared over the edge of the building. The Chief quickly made his way to the edge of the roof and looked down to the street. He was just in time to see three motorcycles speeding down the street, the riders wearing green, black, and red leather.

"Well?" Detective Lance asked, curious as to what the Chief was thinking.

The Chief of Police looked to the Detective now standing next to him.

"It seems like they thought this out. They identified several key places an explosive would be placed, knew the best places to put uniforms and that plain clothes officers would be needed. They have someone to do IDs on all attendees, and they plan on keeping watch throughout the event. I'm not sure even our task force could have come up with all the logistics like this in the time that the Arrow and his Team have." The Chief answered. "I can honestly say that he impressed me. However, what in the world happened that would call them away like that?"

At that moment the Chief's phone rang. The man answered and spoke briefly with the person on the other end before hanging up and turning to meet the eyes of the Detective next to him.

"Sounds like the Arrow and his Team are stopping an armed robbery three blocks from here." The Chief commented. "Does that man ever rest?"

"No sir." Lance answered honestly, knowing firsthand just how long and hard Team Arrow pushed themselves.


	23. Distractions

Diggle was sitting on the building across from where Oliver and the rest of the Team were meeting with Detective Lance and the Chief of Police. He had been providing overwatch for the Team, keeping an eye on the surrounding areas in case any trouble appeared. It was a good thing he was too, as he noticed a black van pull up to a store a few blocks down the road and three armed men got out. It was just seconds later that he heard Felicity in his ear informing them that the store was being robbed.

"Guys, there's a problem." Diggle spoke into his comms. "There is an armed robbery in progress three blocks from here."

"Got it." Roy responded and he moved to place a hand on Oliver's arm to gain his attention. He knew that Oliver would have heard the brief discussion, however, he also knew that the officers had not. "Arrow. Overwatch found something that needs our attention." He allowed the smallest of smiles as Oliver turned to look at him for a moment, just as Felicity was giving details over the comms to the Team. He knew that he was probably going to get a talking to for calling Diggle Overwatch, however, he knew he couldn't use his real name and that was the first thing that came to mind.

Moments later the Team was on the move. Oliver had quickly grabbed Felicity's tablet, knowing that he would never hear the end of it if he didn't bring it back to her in one piece. He then paused briefly on the edge of the roof to tell the officers where and when the Team would meet up with them tonight, before they quickly made their way down to their bikes and sped off to where the robbery was occurring just three blocks away.

It took the Team of four less than five minutes to find, stop, and tie up the three burglars that were in the store. However, that was not to be the end of things. Just as the Team finished handing over the robbers to the SCPD, Felicity informed them of another robbery at the Big Belly Burger on the other side of town. Oliver and the Team quickly mounted their bikes to head in that direction when yet another robbery was reported at a bank in the opposite direction that they were going. It was as Felicity was passing on the latest news that Oliver realized what was happening.

"Sara, you and Roy go to the robbery at Big Belly Burger. Digg, you and I will head back across town to the bank." Oliver instructed as he whipped his bike around to head in the other direction. "Keep a close eye out guys. I have a bad feeling about this."

"You think we're being played?" Diggle asked as he corrected his course to follow Oliver to the robbery at the bank across town.

"I think someone is trying to keep us busy." Oliver commented as he swerved around a city bus. "Felicity, have you come up with anything on The Dealer or David Wilson?"

"I've been running them through the system, checking their faces against all security cameras and traffic camera feeds and I haven't come up with anything." Felicity commented, even while she was giving directions to each of the robberies in progress. "Do you think either one of them hired people to do their dirty work?" She asked.

"I don't know just yet." Oliver answered as his bike skidded to a stop in front of the bank. "Digg, I'm going in."

"Roger, I'm right behind you." Diggle answered as he quickly parked the SUV and followed his partner inside.  _ **  
**_

Felicity listened carefully to each Team as they found, apprehended, and handed over the targets to the SCPD when they finally arrived at each of the scenes. Just as she thought the Team could head back to the lair and recharge, two more alerts popped up on her screen. There was another armed robbery in progress, and a hostage situation in a small clinic, still on opposite sides of town.

Felicity spent the next two hours directing the Team from one incident to another. They were kept extremely busy and Felicity couldn't help but wonder where all these criminals had come from. Finally, in the growing light of sunrise, the Team was finally able to go back to the lair. There were no robberies, or alarms, or hostages that needed them at the moment and a weary Team Arrow slowly made their way down the stairs into the basement of Verdant.

"Oliver." Felicity almost whispered as he reached the bottom of the stairs. The Team looked exhausted and Felicity could tell that Oliver was worried. She walked up to him and enveloped him in a tight hug, simply content to hold him for a moment.

"Any news from Lance?" Oliver finally asked as Felicity pulled away from him, allowing him to begin to put his gear away.

"Nothing yet..." Felicity was interrupted by an e-mail alert on her computer. She turned to her screen to see what the message contained and smiled. "I take that back. I just got the information from Lance. I'll add it into my search and hopefully we can get closer to finding out just who David Wilson is, why he's in town, and if he's working for anyone."

"Start your searches and have the alerts sent to your tablet." Oliver instructed as he headed to change. "Then we're heading back to the mansion to try and get some rest before tonight."

"Okay." Felicity managed to say around a huge yawn.

Finally the Team was all ready to leave and they all headed back to the Queen Mansion. Roy had talked to Thea and they knew that Raisa had a nice breakfast waiting for them when they arrived there. The tired Team gratefully sat down to eat before each retiring to their rooms. However, there was little sleep to be had as each Team member found themselves worrying about how things had gone since early that morning, whether the Theater was a trap or not, how they were going to find and take down David Wilson, and, more importantly, Roy's dad the Dealer.

* * *

"What happened last night?" The Chief of Police asked Detective Lance as the other man entered his office.

"What do you mean?" Lance asked as he stifled a yawn. He had been up all night arranging things for security at the concert that evening. Needless to say, he was exhausted.

"I mean that it seems as though our holding cells' population doubled overnight." The Chief explained.  _ **  
**_

"I don't know." Lance answered. "It's almost like all the criminals came out just for one night." The men sat in contemplative silence for a few moments before Lance decided to voice what he was thinking.

"Did you hear the reports?" Lance asked his superior. "The Arrow and Team beat SCPD to every scene."

"I had heard that. I simply thought it was a rumor." The Chief commented thoughtfully. "It's almost as if they know what's happening before we do. How is that possible?"

"The Arrow has a fantastic Team that he works very closely with. That includes an IT tech. They have access to all security systems, traffic cameras, and I'm sure our Police scanners too. He knows what he's doing and how to get his information. "

"Maybe they should come work for us." The Chief commented to himself referring to the Team Arrow IT tech.

Lame couldn't help but laugh at that comment. He knew that there was nothing on the planet that would draw Felicity away from Team Arrow, or Oliver.

"Sorry Chief, but I don't think you'll ever convince them to work for us." Lance told the other man with a smile.

"A man can try." The Chief commented as he returned the smile. "Go home Detective. See your family and get some rest before tonight. It's going to be another long one." The Chief instructed.

"Yes sir, I'll see you this afternoon." Lance quickly agreed. He left the Chief's office and headed home. He knew the Team probably went to the Queen mansion for some rest and he sincerely hoped that they would all be successful. He too attempted to get some sleep, but it was continually interrupted by thoughts of what could be really going on in his city, how the Team was coping after the very busy night they had had last night, and security plans for that evening.  _ **  
**_

* * *

The Chief sat in his office staring at the report he had just received. It was a list of incidents, including locations, for every crime that happened early this morning after he had met with Team Arrow. After staring at it for a moment he moved to the map and put a pin in each location. When finished he stepped back and looked at where all Team Arrow had been seen stopping a crime last night. The pins were all over the map.

As the Chief stood and looked at the map, as well as the times for each crime, he realized something. Team Arrow had gone immediately from one crime scene to another from the moment they left the rooftop early this morning until sunrise. The crimes had taken place all over the city, two at a time, in opposite sides of the city. Team Arrow had to be exhausted after a night like last night. He couldn't help but wonder if they were going to be of any real help tonight.

 _At least I know they're still dedicated to keeping the city safe._  He thought as he stood to leave the Precinct to get some much needed sleep himself, even if it would only be a few hours.  _I still can't believe they beat my officers to_ every  _scene. It looks like they really do know what they're doing after all. Now let's just see if they can prove it tonight, and see if they can play nice with others._


	24. Preperation

The Team really had tried to get some rest, however, it was just not meant to be. Only an hour after they arrived at the mansion, exhausted from a very busy night fighting crime, Felicity's tablet received an alert on one of David Wilson's aliases. Apparently he had just recently rented out a warehouse in the Glades. Sara and Diggle were sent to do some recon while Oliver, Roy, and Felicity looked at a couple of small leads that had come up on The Dealer.

"Apparently he's been out of the country for the last few years." Felicity explained. She was gathered around the dining room table with Oliver, Roy, and Thea as they talked about what she had finally managed to find on Roy's dad. "It looks like he traveled in from Australia. He arrived the day before he found Roy."

"Any leads on where he is or what he's been doing since he's been in town?" Roy asked curiously. They all knew why he was here and they were simply waiting until they could find a glimpse of him somewhere.

"Nothing on paper, however, I have managed to find him on a couple of private security cameras." Felicity explained as she pulled up the images on her tablet. "They aren't very clear but I'm pretty sure that's him."

"Yeah, that's him." Roy confirmed.

Thea tightened her hold on Roy's hand. He was exhausted from all the work that they had done last night. He hadn't told her much about it, but she had been watching the news with her mom and Walter last night and again this morning before the Team came back. She could also tell that having his dad back in town was really wearing on Roy. He had shared with her why he was here but they hadn't seen or heard anything from him since. Except for these images.

"Any idea where he is now?" Thea asked. "Can you find him based off of where those cameras are located?"

"No. They are two separate cameras from two different addresses and they aren't even close to each other." Felicity explained as she showed them the locations on the map.

"It looks like he really knows how to avoid being found." Oliver commented as he stood, placing a hand on Felicity's shoulder for a moment. "Roy, what do you say we go spar for a bit. I know I could use it, especially after last night."

Roy stood and followed Oliver to the basement gym and Thea stayed with Felicity at the table.

"Is he going to be okay?" Thea asked the other woman.

"He's going to be fine." Felicity encouraged. "He's just tired and worried. None of them have been able to get any real sleep and they are worried about tonight. We don't know what, or even if anything is going to happen, and that's keeping them up."

"I wish there was something I could do to help." Thea commented quietly as she looked to the door where the men had just disappeared.

"There may be something." Felicity commented as she smiled. "Do you remember when I showed you how to access security cameras and monitor their feed?" Felicity asked.

"Yeah, why?" Thea asked curiously.

"Because I think you would be the perfect person to start monitoring the Theater." Felicity said as she dragged the younger woman to the room she had been sleeping in. She pulled out a laptop and brought up the necessary programs before handing it over the Thea. "Just let me know if you need help. I'm going to go to the basement and work." Felicity disappeared through the door with a slight bounce in her step and a smile on her face.

"Yeah, sure you are!" Thea teased, knowing that Felicity was going to work more on watching her brother than actually getting any real work done.  _She's got a great idea though_. Thea thought as she quickly followed the blonde to the basement, laptop in hand.  _ **  
**_

* * *

Sara and Diggle descended the stairs to the gym in the Queen Mansion. They had just returned from checking out the warehouse where they thought David Wilson might be hiding out.

"Hey guys, did you find anything?" Felicity asked as soon as she saw them coming down the stairs.

"Nothing." Diggle answered, clearly irritated at the dead end that they had hit. "There had obviously been someone there, but the whole place had been wiped clean. SCPD is processing it now to see if they can come up with anything but we already know that they won't."

"We're thinking that they relocated after the botched robbery. He won't go back there." Sara explained as she walked over to Oliver. "What are you doing?" She asked as she watched Roy hanging from the bar on the Salmon Ladder and noted Thea staring at him with the same look that Felicity usually had when she watched Oliver.

"I'm teaching him how to do the Salmon Ladder." Oliver said with a hint of amusement in his voice and a smile on his face.

"Yeah? How's it going?" Diggle asked as he came to stand with his Teammates at the bottom of the Ladder. They all got their answer as Roy missed the next rung and fell to the floor.

Roy let out a loud groan. He had been working hard to figure this darn Ladder out for the last thirty minutes and he still hadn't gotten more than two rungs up before he would fall. He was getting irritated.

Sara and Diggle laughed as Roy hit the ground. Diggle knew how frustrated the younger man must be. But, he also knew how challenging it was to have enough control to be able to master the Ladder. It was something that he hadn't even tried yet.

Sara reached down to give Roy a hand up off the floor. She then took the bar from him and went to stand at the bottom of the Ladder.

"Here, let me show you what you did wrong." Sara said as she jumped to the first rung.

The Team trained for another hour, Roy finally managing to make it half way up the Ladder, before they decided to take a break and clean up. They spent the rest of the day trying to relax and going over and over the plans for the evening. Thea kept the Team updated on the progress of the SCPD as they began working to secure the building and Oliver was pleased to see that they were going over the potential bomb locations that they had provided with a fine tooth comb. Felicity was also teaching her how to run the facial recognition software that they would be using this evening as Thea would be helping her with that project as well.

Now all they had to do was try and get some rest and wait until it was time to hood up again and head out.

* * *

Detective Lance stood on the roof of the dance studio and looked out over the city. The Chief of Police was due to meet him here any minute and he was expecting to see Oliver shortly after. He had made sure that SCPD had done a thorough search of the Theater, especially where Oliver and Team thought the best place for bombs would be. They had several officers blending in with the crowd and they had placed the squad cars where suggested. He simply hoped this plan worked out well for everyone involved or the Chief may never trust Oliver again.

"Detective." The Chief called to him as he stepped out on the roof. "Any sign of the man in green?"

"Right here." The Arrow called from behind them. "Detective here is your comms unit. You'll be patched in to our secure communication line." The Arrow explained as he passed the Detective a small case with an ear piece inside.

Lance gave a single nod of understanding. He would be hearing everything from the Team firsthand and although the thought was exciting it also had him a bit nervous. They trusted him enough to keep him in the loop via direct communication with the Team. This was a huge step, and one he didn't take lightly.

"Guests are starting to arrive." Lance heard Felicity say over the comms unit he had just placed in his ear. Even though he knew she was a major part of the Team it still surprised him to hear her voice in his ear.

"My Team is moving into position. Let us know if your officers see anything suspicious." The Arrow said mere moments before he fired a grappling arrow and was gone.

"Well, I guess that means we should head to the command post then." Lance commented as he started to walk away. He got the door to the stairs leading down from the roof and stopped as he realized that the Chief was still standing in the middle of the roof. "Chief?"

"They're just standing there, watching over the city." The Chief said and Lance could hear a hint or awe in the man's voice.

Lance walked back over to where the Chief was standing, trying to understand what had caused his boss to be so contemplative.

"I can see them." The Chief said as he looked around. From this position the Chief could see each rooftop where a member of Team Arrow was standing guard over the Theater next door. "Look." He said as he pointed in the direction that the Arrow had just disappeared in.

Lance looked closely and he could see the silhouette of a lone hooded figure, holding a bow as he stood on the edge of the rooftop. He then looked directly across the Theater in front of them and could see another silhouette. This time he could tell that it was Sara, the Canary. Her hair was blowing in the wind and her staff was visible in her hand. He looked to his right and could see a large figure leaning against the edge of the roof looking through a long barreled rifle. He suspected that it was Diggle as he knew the man was good with weapons.

"Where was the last position?" The Chief asked. He was clearly talking about the last position that Team Arrow would be keeping watch from.

Lance was trying to remember exactly where the fourth position was when he heard the faintest of sounds behind them. He turned and smiled. "Here on this roof." He commented to the Chief who also turned at the noise.

The two officers looked up to see the fourth figure, perched on the highest point of the roof just above the stairs. It was Roy, The Arsenal.

"Detective, Sir." Roy greeted the two men with a nod of his head. He looked quite menacing in his red leather with bow in hand.

"Arsenal." The Chief greeted in response.

"I'll be in direct contact if you guys see anything. Our command post is in the office building next door." Lance informed Roy and the Team through the comms unit in his ear. "We will let you know if our officers spot anything as well."

Lance directed the Chief to the stairs. The man seemed reluctant to leave and Lance wasn't sure if it was due to the fact that he was intimidated by the Team, in awe of them, or simply worried about the city tonight. Regardless, they could do nothing more here and needed to get to the command center. Finally the Chief shook himself out of his daze and followed Lance down the stairs and across the street to their temporary office where the Chief moved to stand at the window.

"You know, the people attending the concert tonight couldn't be any safer." Lance commented quietly.

"What makes you say that?" The Chief asked without even turning from his place at the window.

"Because the Arrow and his Team are watching over them." Lance said truthfully. "If I was the one in danger ... well there is no one I would rather have my back." 


	25. The Concert

"Okay Thea, are you ready for this?" Felicity asked the younger woman sitting next to her. They were in the lair together ready to monitor things at the concert. The security feeds were open on two of the monitors, Felicity had facial recognition running on the rest of her computers, as well as on a laptop in front of Thea. They were ready, she hoped.

"Yup, bring it on. Here they come!" Thea answered as she watched the first of the concert goers arrive.

Felicity tapped a couple of keys on her computer and the sounds of Oliver talking to the SCPD filled the lair.

"Guests are starting to arrive." Felicity informed the Team. They would all be sure to keep the lines of communication open all evening.

As Oliver and the Team got into position, Felicity and Thea started the daunting task of doing IDs on all the people entering the concert.

* * *

Team Arrow was in position and carefully watching over the Theater in anticipation of something going wrong. Oliver stood on a rooftop that showed one of the two main entrances. He watched, bow in hand, as the crowd entered the building and listened to Felicity and Thea talking quietly as they worked at the computers back in the lair. He also heard the brief discussion between Lance and the Chief and he hoped that it wouldn't be much longer before the Chief truly trusted him and his Team.

Sara stood on a rooftop that allowed her a bird's eye view of the side entrance of the Theater. She stood with bo staff in hand as she observed the workers going in and out of the service entrance. She kept a careful eye out for anything out of the ordinary, anything suspicious. She also listened closely to the chatter on the comms in case the girls at the lair found something important, or her dad and SCPD needed them for anything. She was prepared for what she hoped would be a long, boring night.

Diggle stood watch at the other main entrance of the Theater, on the opposite side of the building from Oliver. He stood staring down the scope of his M24 Sniper Weapon System. He had a silencer on the barrel and a scope that would allow him to see clearly at night. From this position he could easily move to help cover either side entrance if the need arose. He was providing overwatch for the Team, SCPD, and all the concert goers. He hoped his services would  _not_  be needed tonight.

Roy stood on the roof on the Dance Studio, bow in hand, and carefully watched the side entrance to the Theater. He could clearly see the small service entrance and was relieved that there was nothing out of the ordinary at the moment. He briefly registered the conversation between Detective Lance and the Chief over the comms, however, he remained more focused on what Thea and Felicity were quietly saying in the lair as they ran IDs on everyone. He looked down and to his left and then right, at the squad cars parked outside the Theater. He was slightly surprised that the SCPD had followed through and done what they had suggested. He hoped that this meant that they would  _actually_  be able to work together and Team Arrow would finally be trusted.

The Team watched silently for the better part of three hours as all the concert goers entered the Theater and the concert began. Felicity and Thea had found nothing unusual from the IDs and the SCPD had not reported anything suspicious beyond a kid caught trying to steal a candy bar from the concessions stand. The silence, however, had the entire Team on edge as they were afraid that this was the calm before the storm.

"The concert is ending." Thea informed the Team as the last song was winding down. They had been in full on mission mode since about five that evening when the doors to the concert first opened. It was now nearing midnight and she knew how tired she was from constantly staring at a computer screen. She could only imagine how the guys and Sara felt out in the field. Thankfully though, nothing had happened tonight, and they all breathed a sigh of relief as the Theater started to empty.

Team Arrow's relief was short lived, however, as suddenly there was a small explosion in the office building that housed the SCPD's command post.

"Arrow!" Roy called into the comms as he used a grappling arrow to get to the building.

"On my way. Canary, Overwatch hold your positions until we know what's going on." Oliver ordered into the comms. "Detective are you alright?" He asked as he made his way to the roof of the office building.

"We're fine Arrow, just a small explosion that closed off the entryway into the room. We have to find another way out." Lance informed the Team. He coughed a couple of times as there was a large amount of dust in the room and the sound worried Sara slightly.

"They're on the fifth floor, office in the center facing the Theater. Detective I suggest you move away from the window now." Felicity said. It took mere moments for Oliver and Roy to rappel down the side of the building and crash though the windows. Both men landed in a crouch, bow in hand.

"The Fire Department is two minutes out." Thea informed everyone. The call had gone in immediately and the Starling City Fire Department was already en route.

Roy quickly moved from Oliver's side to check the entrance to the room.

"It's definitely sealed." Roy informed Oliver and the two officers. "We will have to go out through the window."

"Can't you just use one of your explosive arrows to clear the doorway?" The Chief asked irritably. "That's certainly easier than pretending you're Tarzan and swinging out the window."

Felicity laughed out loud in the lair. Calling Oliver's use of grappling arrows a Tarzan move was totally her idea and she was amused that someone else would think the same thing.

"We can't." Oliver said with a hint of a smile as he heard his fiancé's laughter through the comms. "That's a load bearing wall and if we set off another explosion we could bring the building down on top of us and that is something I am  _not_  willing to do."

"There's a clear spot on that street corner." Roy commented to Oliver, pointing to the corner in question.

Oliver turned to look to where Roy was pointing. The kid was right, other than going to another roof that was the best option, however, they needed to hurry as they didn't know how badly the building had been compromised.

"Detective, you go with Arsenal. Chief you're with me." Oliver decided as the Chief started to make his way to where Roy and Oliver were standing. Suddenly Oliver tensed just as he heard the sound of a rifle being fired. He pushed the Chief of Police to the floor in order to keep him from potentially being hit. Oliver let out a small grunt as pain flared through his right shoulder. He stumbled a couple of steps before dropping to one knee.

"Arrow!" Felicity called through the comms. She had heard the sound of the gunshot then a small grunt of pain and that had her extremely worried.

"Arrow." Roy said as he placed a hand carefully on Oliver's left shoulder. He could see where a bullet had gone through Oliver's right shoulder and he knew his mentor had to be in a great deal of pain right now.

"Overwatch, there is a sniper watching our position." Oliver said into the comms after taking a brief moment to catch his breath and bring his breathing under control. In all it was only a few seconds after the bullet tore through his shoulder that he moved from his position, pulling the Chief to his feet and pushing him behind a pillar. He watched as Roy did the same with Detective Lance.

"Already on it." Diggle said more to himself than anyone. "Canary, you see anything?"

"Not yet." Sara answered as she scanned the rooftops around the Theater.

"He's above us, to the north." Oliver informed them. He knew that simply from the direction that the bullet had hit him from when he had been standing.

Suddenly more bullets rained down on their position. Bullets sailed into the office continually effectively keeping Roy, Oliver, Lance, and the Chief pinned down.

"Why aren't you doing something?" The Chief asked irritably. "First you push me to the ground, quite forcefully I might add, and then you two just hide behind a pillar while someone shoots at us? What kind of  _heroes_  are you?" He spat out as he stared at the man standing on his left.

"Chief." Lance tried to gain the man's attention. He had heard the discussion that the Team was having over the comms but apparently the Chief hadn't even heard Oliver's side of the conversation. However the Chief wasn't listening at all so Lance just tuned him out and focused instead on the chatter over the Team Arrow comms.

"That was his second mistake." Diggle was saying quietly to himself as he heard more shots ring out. A sniper could easily get away with one shot. However, if you miss and have to make another you compromise your position. The sound of the shooters weapon going off was like hanging out a neon sign that told Diggle where he was. He carefully scanned the rooftops in the direction the shots had come from and immediately found the shooter when he took the next shot.

"Canary, muzzle flash, top of Starling City Bank." Diggle informed his Teammate. "About 500 meters from the window where Arrow and Arsenal are."

"On it. Can you get a clean shot?" Sara asked as she started to carefully make her way in the direction of the shooter.

Before anyone could respond there was a second, louder explosion and the office building where Oliver, Roy, Lance, and the Chief were holed up shuddered. Oliver immediately pushed the Chief to the ground and provided the man with the protection of his own body as the floor above them gave way. Roy also moved to protect Detective Lance, neither man in leather ready to allow the officers to get injured.

"Arrow! Arsenal! Can you hear me? Are you okay?" Felicity called into the comms. She had heard the gunfire, then the explosion which had caused the comms units to ring. "Please, talk to me!"

"Arsenal? Are you there?" Thea cried as she locked eyes with Felicity. Both women had tears in their eyes as they had no way of knowing how their men were until someone talked to them. Suddenly they heard a groan and some coughing.

"This is Lance. There was another explosion. The floor above us caved." Lance struggled to move around the debris that had fallen around him. He suddenly stopped moving, however, when the gunfire started up again. "We're still pinned down by that sniper. Overwatch, can you take him out?" Lance asked.

"I have a clear shot." Diggle answered as he slowed his breathing which in turn would steady his aim.

"Take it!" Lance said as he heard a groan next to him where Roy would have landed.

"Roger." Diggle glanced to a flag on the roof opposite the shooter to gauge wind speed. He took a moment to adjust his sights accordingly. "900 meters to target, light northeast wind, low humidity." Diggle was saying to himself as he made split second adjustments to his aim before pulling the trigger.

"Target neutralized." Lance heard over the comms, mere seconds after he told Diggle to take the man out. He quickly pushed the debris off of him and looked around for the young man that had been standing by his side mere moments before the explosion.

Oliver slowly rolled off of the Chief. He had managed to take the brunt of the explosion, saving the Chief from the rain of glass that covered them. Thankfully for him his leather suit had stopped most of the glass from hurting him. After a moment he pulled himself up and pulled the Chief up from his position on the floor.

The Chief gratefully accepted the Arrow's hand as the other man helped him off the ground where the blast had thrown them. He looked up as the Arrow turned to look for Lance and the Arsenal and he noticed what looked like a gunshot wound on the man's right shoulder.  _I wonder what happened._  He thought but was not given a chance to ask as the Arrow was suddenly helping the Detective to stand as well.

"Arrow is everyone okay?" Sara asked as she dropped through the shattered window. She had stopped by the bank just long enough to check that the shooter was indeed down before making her way over to check on her Team. She noticed the bullet wound in his shoulder but other than that he seemed to be unharmed. She then looked past him to her dad. He gave her a brief nod to let her know that he was okay as well. "Where's Arsenal?" She asked.

"Over here." Oliver answered. He had heard her come in but had been moving debris around to get to Roy. He had pushed Lance out of the way of some falling debris but had not been able to get out of the way himself.

"Arrow, Arsenal, Canary, can anyone hear me?" Felicity called into the comms. She had no visual on the group in the office building, and she had not heard from Roy or Oliver since the second explosion, and the worry was about to drive her mad.

"Arrow, the Team wants to know your status." Sara commented as she helped Oliver to move a filing cabinet that had fallen over in the blast.

"My comms is out." Oliver commented.

"It's not the only thing." Sara stated under her breath. "Your voice distorter isn't working anymore either." She shared a brief glance with Oliver, knowing that that probably meant the Chief would identify him. However, a groan drew the attention of both of them and they turned to see Roy pinned under a beam. She and Oliver moved to get over to him even as her dad brought the rest of the Team up to date.

Pain shot through Oliver's shoulder as he worked with Sara to clear debris in order to allow them access to where Roy was pinned under a beam that had fallen from the floor above them. He ignored it however as he knew that they needed to free Roy and get out of there as soon as possible.  _I don't know how much longer this building will stand._  He thought to himself.

Once they were able to get to Roy, Oliver felt the dread creeping in. Roy was lying face down with a beam across his back. He couldn't tell just yet if the kid was still breathing and he found his mind suddenly filling with memories of seeing Tommy trapped in the rubble of CNRI after the Undertaking. He knew then that he simply  _had_  to get Roy out of there, alive! **  
**

"He's still alive." Sara commented as she noticed the subtle movement of Roy drawing in a breath. She breathed a sigh of relief with Oliver as they moved to Roy's side.

Roy slowly opened his eyes. He felt like an elephant was sitting on his back making it hard to breathe. His ribs hurt really bad again and his ears were still ringing from the blast. As he slowly took in his surrounding he saw Oliver and Sara standing above him. He closed his eyes in relief. His Team would get him out.

"We need to get this beam off his back." Oliver stated as knelt down to check Roy's pulse. He noticed Roy's eyes flutter open at his touch. "Don't worry, we're going to get you out of there. Just hang on."

"It looks like part of the beam hit this desk, it's keeping the full weight of the beam off his back. Although I suspect that he'll have a nice bruise where his quiver is." Sara commented.

"Okay, let's lift the beam enough to pull him out. You ready?" Oliver asked as he looked to Sara.

"Let me help." Lance commented as he stepped to where Sara was standing, ready to lift the beam. "He's under there because he was protecting me, let me help."

"Okay, you help Arrow lift and I'll pull him out." Sara instructed as she moved to be able to do just that.

"On three." Oliver commented as he bent to lift the beam, ignoring the protest from his shoulder. "One, two... three."

Lance grunted as he helped Oliver lift the beam. Thankfully they didn't have to lift too much before there was enough room for Sara to pull Roy free. The kid let out a small grunt of pain at the movement but surprisingly lifted himself up off the ground immediately after being freed.

"Arsenal, you good?" Oliver asked as he looked into his young protégé's eyes. Roy simply gave a small nod before turning to look for his bow.

"Looking for this young man?" The Chief asked as he held out Roy's red bow.

"Yes sir, thank you." Roy said quietly, noting that his voice changer had been damaged and was now not working. He also soon realized that his earpiece was busted when he heard Sara talking into the comms, updating the rest of the Team.

"Let's get out of here." Lance commented.

Oliver reached back and pulled out a grappling arrow. He quickly fired it to the building on the only clear corner for two blocks. He anchored the other end and turned to give instructions.

"Canary, you good to take the Detective?" He asked, knowing that Roy probably wouldn't have the strength needed at the moment.

"Yeah, let's go." Sara answered as she turned to her dad. She pulled out a strip of black silk and wrapped it around the wire that would take them to safety. She grabbed her dad and quickly exited the building.

"You next." Oliver turned to Roy and ordered.

"No." Roy argued with a shake of his head. "You get the Chief out of here first. I'll be right behind you."

Oliver and Roy stared at each other for a moment before Oliver reluctantly agreed. The kid was right. They needed to get the Chief out of there before the building gave the rest of the way.

"Sir." Oliver turned to the Chief, offering his hand. The Chief stepped towards him and Oliver quickly grabbed him with his right arm and hooked his bow onto the wire with his left. The two found themselves on the ground moments later. Oliver turned back to the building and could see it starting to shudder again. The building wouldn't hold much longer.

Roy felt the building begin to shake again and had a feeling that it was about to collapse. As soon as Oliver and the Chief were safely on the ground he grabbed one of the metal batons in a pocket on his suit and hooked it over the wire. He would have used his bow like Oliver had, however his was a recurve, not a compound so there was no way to do so. When he was about ten feet from the rest of the Team he felt the wire shake before going completely slack. He quickly let go of one side of the baton and dropped to the ground. He rolled when he hit the ground to keep from landing too hard, however the drop caused his ribs to flare up in pain again and he had to pause for a moment as he knelt on the ground to catch his breath once more.

Once Roy caught his breath he quickly stood and moved to where the rest of his Team was gathered. He gave a brief nod to Oliver and Sara to let them know that he would be fine.

Oliver breathed a sigh of relief when Roy stood and walked towards them. He had seen the wire go slack and had worried that the drop would cause Roy more injuries. However the kid didn't seem to be hurt any more than he been from the explosion. It was as he turned back around to address the two SCPD officers that he noticed the Chief staring at him intently.

"When did you get that?" The Chief asked the Arrow, pointing to his right shoulder.

"Sniper's first shot." Oliver answered honestly before turning to the Detective.

"We can clean up here. Get your Team home and those injuries seen to." Lance told Oliver, knowing that the wound in the young man's shoulder would need tending to, not to mention whatever injuries Roy had. "Thank you for pushing me out of the way back there." Lance said as he reached out to shake Roy's hand.

"Anytime Detective." Roy answered, returning the handshake, before turning to leave with his Team.

"Call us if you need anything." Oliver instructed before he, Sara, and Roy disappeared into the night.


	26. Relief

Sara took the lead on the way back to Verdant. She had spoken briefly with Oliver and they had decided that he would take up the rear in order to keep an eye on Roy. He didn't seem to be injured too badly, however they didn't want him falling off of his Ducati on the street either. She knew he had to be in at least  _some_  pain from being pinned under the beam, but he was being as stubborn as Oliver.

Oliver kept a careful eye on Roy as they rode back to Verdant. He knew the kid had to be in pain, as was he. However, they both knew that it would be pointless to make a huge deal of it until they could actually do something about it. If Roy was seriously injured Oliver was certain he would have spoken up. Especially after their discussion over his last injury. Roy seemed to be doing fine at the moment and so was he. He just couldn't wait to get back to Verdant to discuss what had happened out there and make sure his Team was indeed going to be okay.

Roy breathed a sigh of relief when Verdant came into view. He had told the Team that he was fine, but his back hurt pretty bad, especially under his quiver. He couldn't wait to take it off and relieve some of the pressure. As they parked their bikes and dismounted Roy realized that he was suddenly dreading descending the stairs to the lair, and the talking to that he was sure to get from Thea for coming back injured. He stopped just outside their garage for a moment and closed his eyes, taking in a couple of calming breaths.

"Roy?" Oliver asked, noticing that Roy had stopped and was standing with eyes closed. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Roy answered as he opened his eyes to meet the worried faces of his Teammates. "I'm just dreading what Thea's going to say." He told his friends.

"I'm sure she's just going to be happy that you came back." Sara commented, having heard the recent discussion between Felicity and Thea over the comms. She noticed the small smile on Diggle's face as well and knew that he had heard the discussion too. "Come on, let's not keep the women waiting any longer or John and I risk their wrath." She joked as she pulled open the door to the lair.

* * *

"We're on our way back." Felicity heard Diggle say through the comms.

Felicity could not describe the relief that she felt knowing that they were all coming back and in one piece. The explosions had scared her to death and for a space of a few minutes she had the worst feeling ever - that she wouldn't see Oliver alive again. Thankfully Detective Lance had informed the Team that they were all alive and well, well slightly injured, but nothing life threatening. She just couldn't wait for them to get back so she could see for herself. The sound of muffled crying drew her attention to the young woman at her side.

"Thea, it's okay. They're all on the way back." Felicity said comfortingly as she drew Thea into a tight hug.

"I could have lost him today!" Thea cried as Felicity held her.

When Thea had heard the explosion, lost communication with Roy, she had thought that she might have just lost him for forever. Her heart had stopped and there had been an incredible pain in her chest. She could finally breathe again when they were told that everyone was okay, but she still hadn't heard from Roy. Then they had heard that he had been pinned under a beam in the blast and her mind wouldn't stop running through all the possible injuries that he could have. She wanted to hug him close and never let go and curse him out for acting carelessly all at the same time.

"But you didn't!" Felicity said forcefully, pulling back to look Thea in the eyes. "There are  _so many_  things that could have happened today, so many worse things, but they didn't! Oliver and Roy are both still  _alive_  and they are coming back here, to us!" Felicity took a deep breath and noticed that Thea did the same as she tried to calm down.

"Both Oliver and Roy are injured and they are going to need us to be there for them, to help patch them up again. Because that is what we do, that is  _our_  place on this Team. We are here to help them, to guide them through the missions so that they come back to us as whole as can be." Felicity attempted an encouraging smile. "It's never easy, knowing one of them gets hurt and there not being anything we can do to prevent it. What we can do though is be the support that they need. They don't need us to tell them they were careless, or stupid, or cuss them out for getting hurt. They need us to encourage them, and hold them, and take care of them when they're injured."

"So you're saying I can't yell at him for being stupid?" Thea asked somewhat sarcastically.

"No, and you wanna know why?" Felicity answered with a smile.

"Why?"

"Because the only reason Roy got injured was because he was saving someone else. He wasn't being stupid or careless. He was being a hero!" Felicity turned to get the medical table ready for when the Team arrived, leaving Thea to process her own thoughts on the matter.

* * *

Oliver descended the stairs first and switched his bow from his left hand to his right just as Felicity ran to greet him when she saw him. He enveloped her in a one armed hug, thankful he had thought to switch his bow to his injured arm as it helped keep him from being hurt more from her hug. He simply held her for a moment, knowing how worried she would have been with everything that had happened that night.

"It's okay Felicity. I'm here. I'm fine." Oliver whispered into her ear as he held her. After a moment he finally let her go, the pain in his shoulder reminding him that there were things to be done.

When Roy descended the stairs he watched as Felicity ran to Oliver and simply hoped that Thea would not yell at him, just for a moment. She surprised him, however, as she ran to him, just as Felicity had to Oliver, as soon as she caught sight of him. When she was close enough he pulled her into a tight embrace, needing to simply hold her, to enjoy being alive and able to feel her in his arms again. He had been in a situation tonight that had almost kept him from coming home to her. The only thing that had stopped that from happening was the fact that the beam that had him pinned had hit a desk as well as him, keeping the full weight of it off of him. Right now he was simply glad to be alive.

"I love you!" Thea whispered into Roy's chest as she tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over again.

"I love you too Thea!" Roy responded as he pulled her closer, wincing slightly at the pain from the bruise forming on his back.

"Come on you love birds." Sara said with a smile as she watched the two couples embrace. "There are things we need to tend to."

Felicity pulled Oliver over to a stool and Thea directed Roy to the medical table. Both women ready to be of whatever assistance they could be treating the guys' injuries.

Felicity carefully helped Oliver remove his quiver and jacket, revealing the wound in his shoulder.

"What happened?" Felicity asked quietly as she watched Diggle start to clean the wound. She could see that the bullet had gone all the way through his shoulder and she found she was thankful that Diggle wouldn't have to dig anything out of Oliver's shoulder today.

"Sniper." Oliver answered quickly, trying to ignore the pain in his shoulder. He focused instead on Roy who was sitting on the med table not far away.

Oliver watched as Thea helped Roy take off his quiver and out of his jacket and shirt. As Roy was sitting with his back to Oliver it was clear to him just how bad the bruising would be as he saw the angry black and blue down his protogé's back. He knew Roy would be in pain for a while and they would have to get some ice on it soon, however it would probably be best to get Roy back to the mansion so he could rest at the same time.

"We'll head home as soon as we are done here and cleaned up." Oliver commented to the Team as they all worked.

Thea winced as she helped Roy out of his shirt. She stepped around behind him to look at his back and could see a dark bruise forming where his quiver usually rested.

"How can I help?" Thea asked as Sara was pulling some things out of the medical supply cabinet.

"We need to assess his ribs and see if any are broken, cracked, or just bruised. Then we'll need to check his spine as well and make sure there is no damage there either." Sara informed Thea. She knew that they needed to give her some medical training for instances like this.  _No time like the present._ She thought. _  
_

"How can you tell that without an x-ray machine?" Thea asked, curious as to how they were going to know how badly Roy was hurt without the equipment.

"By touch." Roy answered for Sara. He had been listening to their conversation and knew that Thea's curiosity would get the best of her. He also knew that this news would cause her to worry for him and he wanted to help alleviate that as soon as possible.

"Won't that hurt you more?" Thea asked as she could only imagine  _how much_  that would hurt him.

"A little, yes." Roy answered honestly. "But it's better than blowing our cover, or making up some stupid story as to how it happened." Roy almost laughed as he could imagine the look on Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity's faces at that comment. They weren't very good at cover stories. "Besides, that's how they start assessing injuries to ribs in the hospitals."

"Okay, how do we do it then?" Thea asked as she turned to Sara. She had thought about Roy's words for a moment and decided that he was right, especially as she thought of all of the stupid cover stories that her brother had told over the years.

Oliver watched as Sara carefully instructed Thea on how to assess injuries to ribs before then checking Roy's back. He could tell that the pressure on his bruised ribs and back was causing Roy more pain, but they both also knew how necessary it was. He was pleased to see Sara meet his eyes and give a small nod and smile after she was through assessing Roy's injuries. Oliver then knew that thankfully everything was fine with his young Teammate. Before he knew it, Diggle was done patching up his shoulder as well. He had been so focused on making sure Roy was going to be okay, that he hadn't even realized that his own injuries were now taken care of as well. He blinked and looked over to meet Felicity's eyes.

Felicity had been watching Oliver carefully for the last several minutes. He seemed to have tuned everything out as Diggle patched up his shoulder, however as she looked across to where Sara and Thea were treating Roy she realized that Oliver wasn't daydreaming, he was worrying about Roy. He was so focused on watching Roy to make sure that he was okay that he didn't even realize when Diggle was finished patching up his own shoulder.  _He is_ always _more worried about others than he is for himself_. She thought as Oliver finally seemed to come out of his daze and look at her. She smiled at him and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. Her smile deepened when he leaned into her touch and closed his eyes for a moment.  _He's exhausted - and so is everyone else._  She realized as she looked at Team Arrow.

"Come on guys, time to get cleaned up and changed." Felicity finally said after a moment. "It's time we all head home for some much needed rest."

No one argued with Felicity. They were all extremely exhausted as none of them had had more than a few hours sleep in the last couple of days. The Team worked together to put all of the gear away, each cleaning up and changing into clean clothes, before leaving for the mansion.


	27. Unexpected Company

Diggle look into his rear view mirror and observed the Team as he drove to the Queen Mansion. Oliver and Felicity were whispering quietly to each other, probably about wedding stuff if he was hearing correctly, and he smiled. They were so close to finally tying the knot, twelve days to be exact, and Diggle couldn't wait. He looked further back to the couple sitting in the final row of seats in the SUV. Roy was leaning slightly forward as Thea rubbed the back of his head and neck. He knew that kid had to be pretty sore and they would need to get some ice on his bruises pretty soon. He was relieved that they had all made it through the evening in one piece, even if they were a bit battered and bruised from the events of the night.

Sara smiled as she noticed Diggle watching the couples in the back. She knew what he was thinking, because she was thinking the same thing. Things could have gone terribly wrong tonight, more wrong than they had, but somehow they managed to end the evening alive and that was celebration worthy. As she thought back to the welcome that Oliver and Roy had received upon returning to the lair she realized that she missed Nyssa - terribly! It had only been a few months since she had seen the Assassin, however she still found herself eagerly anticipating seeing her again.

As Diggle pulled through the gates at the Queen Mansion he noticed Sara sit up straighter in the passenger seat.

"What is it?" Diggle asked. She was more alert, but not the anticipating an attack kind, the little kid at Christmas waiting to open presents kind of alert. Oliver must have noticed the change in Sara too as he straightened up and spoke.

"Sara?" Oliver asked. He had seen the change in her when they hit Queen property and needed to know if his suspicions were right.

"She's here." Sara answered simply as she eagerly leaned forward to look out the windshield as the smile grew on her face.

"Would it be faster if you just got out now and met us there?" Diggle asked teasingly as they slowly made their way up the drive. He laughed out loud at the glare he got from the former Assassin next to him.

* * *

Moira and her guest stepped out of the front door of the mansion just as Diggle brought the SUV to a stop. It was an extremely weary Team Arrow that slowly piled out and Moira could see that the last couple of days had taken its toll on the Team as they were all clearly exhausted. She had been watching the news with her guest and knew what had happened just a few short hours before. She quickly went to Thea and Oliver and embraced her children in a tight hug, not missing the fact that her son was injured - again.

"Nyssa." Sara whispered quietly to herself in a bit of relief. She felt happier, lighter, now that her girlfriend was in town. She had been eagerly anticipating her arrival, even though she wasn't expected for another week. She quickly went to the other woman and they came together in a tight embrace.

"Ta-er al-Sahfer." Nyssa whispered to Sara as they embraced. "It is good to see you again!"

"I'm glad you're here." Sara said honestly. She knew that with Nyssa and the League in town their chances of catching the Dealer and David Wilson had just increased.

"I have to leave again tomorrow for business, however, I was near so I wanted to see you before then." Nyssa explained as the Team gathered around.

"Will you be back in time for the wedding?" Felicity asked curiously. After all, she had been extra careful to make sure that Nyssa had received an invitation.

"Yes, I will only be gone for a couple of days before I return for the wedding." Nyssa answered with a smile.

"You have our hospitality until then." Oliver commented as he put his arm around Felicity, as much as a show of affection as it was a way to brace himself and keep his exhausted body from giving way on him without his consent.

"Your Team is a bit battered." Nyssa observed as she noticed Oliver leaning more heavily on Felicity than he normally would, as well as the fact that Roy was about to fall over where he stood.

"It's been a long night." Diggle commented as he reached out and took Roy's weight off of Thea. She had been helping him stay on his feet but the kid's strength was quickly draining and Diggle knew that they had to get their younger teammate inside and taken care of.

"Let's get inside." Oliver commented as he turned to the front door, walking in hand in hand with Felicity. "Digg, take Roy upstairs. I'll get some ice and be up in a bit."

"What is wrong?" Nyssa asked curiously as she watched Diggle take an exhausted Roy up to Thea's room.

"Several bruised ribs, massive bruising down his back." Sara explained. "A beam landed on him in the explosion downtown tonight."

"I might be able to assist with the bruising." Nyssa said thoughtfully as she looked upstairs.

"How?" Oliver asked from behind the women. He had heard the discussion about Roy and was curious as to what Nyssa was thinking.

"Leeches." Nyssa answered as she turned to look at Oliver. She could tell that he was surprised by her answer yet he still hid it behind his well crafted mask of indifference.

"Leeches?" Felicity asked, shocked.

"I was recently in the Scottish Highlands on business." Nyssa explained. "We learned of a way to help with bruising. Bruising is simply blood gathering under the skin after small blood vessels burst from trauma, such as a beam falling on young Roy's back. Leeches can draw out the leaked blood and reduce the swelling in the process, if applied quickly enough."

"Better than ice?" Sara asked. She shouldn't be surprised that Nyssa would have learned of a less than usual way of dealing with injuries. After all, she travels to all end of the earth on League business.

"If applied quickly enough yes." Nyssa confirmed. "However ice will also help with the pain."

"But, where can we get leeches?" Felicity asked the question that they were all thinking.

"My healer is carrying some. You can use our supply." Nyssa said as she turned to an Assassin, quickly issuing instructions in Arabic. The man quickly stepped out, returning just moments later with the needed leeches.

"He's upstairs." Oliver commented, clearly giving his approval for Nyssa to use the less than conventional methods to help Roy. "You go on up and I'll go ahead and grab some ice."

"I'll make him some chamomile tea too." Felicity commented. "What? It will help him sleep, peacefully." She said defensively at the looks from the trained killers around her.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea Felicity." Nyssa said with a smile before turning to go help treat Roy's injuries.

* * *

"I'm not an invalid Digg." Roy complained as Diggle helped him to Thea's room. "I can walk on my own."

"Really?" Diggle asked as he let Roy hold up his own weight for a moment. He shook his head as Roy stumbled for a step before stepping up and guiding him to the bed. "I don't doubt that you can handle yourself. However, you're running on only a couple hours of sleep in the last two days, you've been in an explosion and been pinned under rubble, and I'm willing to bet you're adrenaline is gone too. You're body's exhausted and needs its rest. So let me help you." Diggle said firmly, allowing no room for argument.

"Mr. Diggle, can I have a moment alone with Roy please." Thea timidly asked as Diggle turned from helping Roy sit on the bed.

"Yeah, I'll be back in a minute. I'm going to go see what's keeping Oliver." Diggle answered as he turned to go find his Teammate. He passed Nyssa and Sara on his way down the stairs. Sara stopped just long enough to give him a brief run down of what they were going to do and Diggle simply hoped that it would actually help.

* * *

Oliver was just coming from kitchen with the ice for Roy when the doorbell rang.  _What now?_  Oliver thought as he turned to answer the door and he saw Diggle descending the stairs in his peripheral vision.

"Detective Lance." Oliver said in surprise as he opened the door. He had not been expecting the Detective to drop by so soon. "Is something wrong?" Oliver asked as he opened the door wider and invited the man in.

"I came by to see how Roy was doing." Lance answered as he stepped past Oliver and saw Diggle standing in the foyer.

"He's a strong young man Detective." Diggle commented, noting the worry in the other man's voice and eyes. "He's going to be fine."

* * *

"Thea? Are you okay?" Roy asked as she helped him out of his shirt. He was met with silence as Thea was clearly processing what had happened and Roy could see the silent tears threatening to make their way down her cheeks. Finally, after a moment, she spoke.

"This bruising is getting worse." Thea commented, avoiding telling Roy how she was really feeling.

"We can help with that." Nyssa said as she and Sara walked through the door.

"How?" Thea asked as she noticed the distinct lack of the ice that they were supposed to be bringing.

"With these." Sara commented as she pointed to the jar of leeches in Nyssa's hand.

"What?!"

* * *

"You're right, he is a strong young man." Lance commented as he looked to Oliver, noting the slight sag in the younger man's posture and he couldn't help but wonder how Oliver's bullet wound was. "He's come a long way."

"What do you mean by that Detective?" Oliver asked, curious as to what exactly the Detective meant.

"When I first met Roy he was a scared young kid in a bad home." Detective Lance explained. "He didn't have a great family life and it translated into him getting into a lot of trouble after his mom died. He was always up to no good. But then he met the Hood."

"I don't know what you think I did, but let me assure you, the good that's in Roy, it was there the whole time, he just needed to believe it and let it out." Oliver commented as he turned to go up the stairs to where the rest of his Team was caring for the young man they were currently discussing and he gestured for Diggle and the Detective to follow him.

* * *

Sara and Nyssa had quickly explained the benefits of using the leeches to help with the bruising on Roy's back and Thea had reluctantly agreed to let them try it out. Between the two of them it took only a few minutes for them to finish and Thea had to agree, the bruising on Roy's back didn't look as bad now. Both women left when they were finished, apparently Diggle and Oliver had both gotten lost as it had been several minutes since Diggle went looking for Oliver and the ice.

As soon as the women left Thea did her best to help Roy get comfortable on her bed. Unfortunately for him, the only way he could get comfortable was laying on his stomach thanks to the bruising on his back. It was not the best idea for his ribs, but it would have to work for now.

"Thea." Roy said quietly as he reached out and took her hand in his, quickly gaining her attention. "Tell me what's really wrong."

* * *

"Then how do you explain what he did tonight?" Lance questioned. He still had a hard time reconciling the scared young boy he had seen years before, then the teen who he had arrested on multiple occasions, with the strong, confident young man who had put his life on the line for him just a couple of hours ago.

"Dad! What are you doing here?" Sara asked as her and Nyssa passed the men on the stairs. She hadn't expected to see him here.

"Just came by to see how Roy's doing." Lance answered as he gave his youngest daughter a quick hug. "Nyssa, good to see you again."

"Mr. Lance. Roy is doing well. Thea should have him resting now." Nyssa said as she offered Sara's father a smile. "The ice will help the pain in his back."

"Thank you Nyssa. We will see you again next week?" Oliver asked as the Assassin turned to leave.

"I would not miss it for anything." Nyssa answered with a smile before following Sara down the rest of the stairs and the men finished their ascent.

The men walked up to Thea's open door just as Thea asked Roy why he had done it. They stopped just outside her room, not wanting to interrupt the conversation between the teens in the room.

* * *

"Why did you do it?" Thea finally asked as she sat on the edge of the bed next to Roy and reached out to rub the back of his head and neck again, hoping it would help soothe him and help him to go to sleep quicker.

"Do what?" Roy asked curiously as he glanced up at the beautiful woman next to him.

"Why did you go into a building that had just had an explosion, end up under a fallen beam in another explosion in the same building, zip line out of a collapsing building, and then ride back to Verdant on a  _motorcycle_  when you were injured." Thea explained. "I don't get it. Why put yourself through that?"

Lance stood outside Thea's room and listened intently. He watched as Roy pulled himself into a seated position and carefully placed his hands on Thea's shoulders. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the angry black, blue, and purple bruising all down Roy's back.

"I didn't  _put_ myself through anything." Roy explained. "There were good men inside that building when the explosion went off. We didn't know if they were injured or trapped. I couldn't just leave them there! Then when we did get in there we found that the entrance to the floor we were on was closed off due to the explosion. The zip line was the only way out. As for getting trapped under a beam, well, I couldn't just leave Detective Lance unprotected." Roy continued to explain, trying to help Thea understand that he didn't do it for the glory. "I felt the building begin to shift just before the explosion, I saw the beam overhead crack and knew that it could crush the Detective who was standing directly under it. I simply tried to get him out of the way before it gave."

"Why?" Thea asked, the tears evident in her eyes.

"Thea, when we met I was a mess. I was always getting into trouble, getting arrested. But then I was taken by the Savior and rescued by the Hood. I learned that life's not all about me." Roy took a breath to gather his thoughts before continuing. "I had been doing things for all the wrong reasons. I had been trying to atone for my past sins, my failures. But I don't have to, all I have to do is be the best that I can be  _now_. For me, that means that if I can save one man from being crushed under a beam in an explosion then I will. Not because I want to be crushed to death, but because that man deserves to live another day."

"And that, Roy Harper, is what makes you a hero." Thea said softly as she placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Ahem." Oliver cleared his throat from the doorway, causing the couple to quickly draw apart. Roy turned and noticed the men standing in the doorway for the first time.

"Detective!" Roy said, surprised that Lance was there. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to see how you were doing, and to thank you." Lance said sincerely as he went to stand next to where Roy was sitting on the bed. "You saved my life tonight and for that I am extremely thankful."

"It was nothing Detective, you would have done the same thing." Roy responded.

"You know, I think Oliver's rubbing off on you." Lance commented as he turned to leave. "I'm glad you're okay Roy. Take it easy and get some rest. All of you." Lance said as he looked at the tired group in front of him.

Oliver and Diggle turned and followed the Detective out, thanking him for stopping by and promising to keep in touch. Felicity joined them with Roy's cup of tea just as the Detective started to leave.

"Tea for Roy." Felicity said as she walked up to the guys. They all turned to walk into Thea's room one last time.

Oliver knocked very loudly on the door frame, effectively scaring Roy and Thea, and causing them to quickly pull apart from their very heated kiss.

"Ollie!" Thea whined, irritated at being interrupted from kissing Roy, again!

"Hey, you and Roy can't have any uninterrupted fun if Felicity and I can't!" Oliver argued back, attempting to keep the look on his face serious. He completely failed as a smile spread across his face and Diggle laughed in the background.

"Right, can't let them have more fun than you!" Diggle said under his breath, to the amusement of Sara who had just come to join them again.

"True, we can't let the Queen kids have any fun can we." Sara agreed with a laugh.


	28. Family

Moira and Walter were in the sitting room simply enjoying each other's company and the peace and quiet in the Queen Mansion for once. Oliver and his Team had come home earlier this morning and thankfully they were finally getting the rest that had eluded them for the past two day. Sara and Quentin had left with Nyssa after the Detective had checked on Roy. Mr. Diggle had gone home to Lyla. Oliver, Felicity, Roy, and Thea were upstairs finally getting the rest that they so desperately needed. Moira had finally allowed the truth of what had happened last night sink in and she had gone in search of Walter for comfort.

Walter had gladly held Moira as she cried into his shoulder once she found him. He knew that Oliver being the Arrow of Starling City worried Moira on a daily basis and today was no different. They had seen on the news the explosion that rocked the office building across from the Theater, where they both knew the Team was keeping watch over the concert goers. They watched in silence as Roy and Oliver had immediately gone to the building to rescue Detective Lance and the Chief of Police. However, the news anchor hadn't had a clear shot into the building and therefore they didn't know what was going on. They were all relieved, though, when they could see everyone exiting the building, just before the top three floors caved in.

Moira had been relieved when she could see on the news that Team Arrow was safe. She couldn't tell if anyone was injured from the news coverage but she knew she would have that answer soon. Soon, however, turned out to be almost an hour and a half later.  _Of course they had to go clean up and change._  She thought as she now sat next to Walter on the couch. She closed her eyes for a moment and leaned her head on his shoulder as she remembered watching the Team slowly climb out of the SUV. She could see Roy was at least slightly injured as it seemed Thea was helping keep him on his feet. She then looked to Oliver and he looked fine, other than being exhausted. But even that he was trying to hide behind his mask of  _I'm fine_. She didn't realize that he was injured though, until she held both Oliver and Thea in a tight hug and she felt Oliver give a slight wince. She had later discovered that he had a bullet wound in his shoulder and she couldn't help but worry.  _  
_

Walter pulled Moira closer to him to comfort her. He knew that she was struggling with the fact that Oliver was injured again, Roy was apparently injured as well, not to mention what tonight's events would do to Thea and Felicity. He hoped that they would all be able to pull through this experience as well, especially after all they had already gone through with Malcolm and Slade.

Moira and Walter sat comforting each other for quite a while before Oliver finally descended the stairs to find them.

"Oliver." Moira called to her son as he entered the room. She stood and went to him, carefully enveloping him in another hug. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine mom." Oliver answered a bit confused as to what had made her ask.

"Oliver, I know you were shot." Moira informed her son, slightly amused at the look of shock on her son's face. "You don't have to hide things from me anymore remember."

"I'm sorry, I was just worried about Roy and then didn't think about it." Oliver admitted. "It's really not that bad, it went all the way through so I just needed a couple of stitches. It's nothing to worry about."

"How  _is_  Roy doing?" Moira asked curiously.

"He'll be fine. He just has a lot of bruising on his back and his ribs will be sore for a while." Oliver told her as he sat on the couch across from his mom and Walter. He was happy to know that she seemed to view Roy and Felicity as family already.

"Do you know what caused the explosion last night?" Walter asked, curious if the Team knew the motivation behind the attack.

"We don't know for sure why it happened." Oliver began to explain.

"But you have a theory?" Moira asked.

"Yes." Oliver confirmed. "A couple of days ago we brought in a man named David Wilson. He was in the process of stealing enough C4 to blow up the Starling City Theater. That was the reason why we stood guard over the concert last night."

"But how could it have been him if he was in police custody?" Walter asked, confused as to how Mr. Wilson would have been able to pull it off if he was in jail.

"Because he escaped before the SCPD ever got him to the precinct." Oliver explained. "We think he blew up the office building since we had disrupted his plans for the concert. He also had a sniper in place."

"To make sure you guys didn't escape?" Moira asked as she looked to Oliver's shoulder, realizing just  _how_ he had been injured.

"I think that was the idea." Oliver confirmed, not missing his mom's look at his shoulder. "They didn't take Digg into account though." Oliver said with a smile.

"How so?" Walter asked, extremely curious again.

"Diggle is a long range marksman." Oliver explained. "He's so good that he took a shot and hit his mark at a distance that most snipers can't be accurate at, not to mention that his weapon wasn't very accurate at that distance. He should have missed that shot, but instead he hit his target dead on and saved us."

"It sounds like we owe Mr. Diggle our thanks for saving your life yet again." Walter said with a small smile.

Walter, Moira, and Oliver sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. It was only a couple of minutes later that Thea descended the stairs. When she noticed her family gathered together she went to join them.

"Thea." Moira said comfortingly as she watched her daughter enter the room. She could see that something was bothering her daughter and she rose and drew her into a tight hug. She knew she was right when she felt Thea begin to shake in her arms. Her baby girl was crying. "Thea, what's wrong?"

"I almost lost them tonight!" Thea sobbed into her mother's shoulder. She and Roy had just woken up and she had been reminded of what had happened as she watched Roy walk away to the bathroom. She had quickly left her room so that he wouldn't come out and find her crying.

"Thea, honey." Moira said softly as she stoked her daughter's hair.

"I watched and listened as the first explosion went off." Thea continued to explain through her tears. "I knew Ollie and Roy went in to check on Detective Lance and the Chief. I though they would be fine. But then we heard the loud crack when the sniper fired and we heard the bullet hit Oliver. He never makes a sound when he gets hurt, and yet we heard him grunt in pain and I was so worried! But the nightmare didn't end there." Thea pulled back slightly to look at her mom. "Then another explosion had to go off and we lost communication with both of them. I didn't know if they were still alive or not and I knew that I wouldn't be able to handle it if I lost either of them."

"Thea." Oliver said softly as he came up behind the two women and placed a comforting hand on Thea's shoulder. "I know you were scared, but you have to remember that we are  _both_  alive and fine."

"I  _know_ you're both alive Ollie." Thea said as she turned to look at her brother. "But that's not the point. The point is I could have lost you tonight - again." Thea took a deep breath as she gathered her thoughts. "When you and dad left on the Gambit and were lost at sea I had no way of knowing what had happened to you. I didn't know if you had both been trapped in the yacht, if you had been sucked out and drowned at sea, if a shark had eaten you. I didn't know  _anything_  except that you were gone. Tonight I knew  _exactly_  what had happened. I knew that you had gone in to save people. I heard the gunshot. I listened as the bullet tore through your shoulder. I had to listen as the building that you and Roy were in shuddered and another explosion went off. I heard that beam fall on Roy and his cry of pain just before the comms went dead and I thought that I had lost you both. I had to sit there and watch as the building shook and when neither you nor Roy answered my heart literally stopped!"

"Oh Speedy." Oliver reached out to Thea and pulled her into a tight hug. "I know it's not easy being on that end of the missions and I'm sorry you had to go through that tonight."

"I don't know how Felicity does it every night." Thea whispered as she held onto Oliver tightly.

"It's not always this hard." Oliver commented, trying to help her remember that it wasn't  _always_ like that.

"I know. It's just that you kept this part of your life a secret from us for so long that it's just such a shock, and honestly it's a little harder than I thought, now that I know what happens and exactly what you guys go through to protect the city." Thea told him honestly.

"Thea, sweetheart." Moira said as she gently laid a hand on her daughter's back. "I know it's not easy knowing what happens, but I can tell you this. Oliver and Roy, they only do this because they care about the people of this city. They don't want to see innocent people hurt."

"I know."

"I think you are going to be a great asset to Oliver's Team." Walter commented as he walked over to join his family.

"Why do you think that?" Thea asked as she stepped back from Oliver's embrace and looked at her family. "I'm just a rebellious teenager who likes to get into trouble."

"That may have been true once Thea, but you have also been through a lot." Walter explained with a small smile. "You have lived through losing your father and brother, dealing with how your brother had changed when he finally made it back home, the Undertaking and everything that went with it, learning about who your biological father was, not to mention everything that Slade and Merlyn has put our family and Oliver's Team through, and it's changed you." Walter paused for a moment to let his words sink in.

"You are a survivor Thea. Maybe even more so than Oliver." Walter said with a sad smile. "You are a beautiful, smart, amazing young woman who has had to live through such incredible trials. You have survived what many would call a living hell. You have survived a crucible of fire in the last seven years and have come out the other end more beautiful and amazing than the day it started." Walter's smile grew as he talked, knowing that everything he said was right and simply hoping that Thea was actually hearing what he was saying. "You're a Pheonix Thea!"


	29. Realizations

The Dealer sat with David Wilson and Andrew as they discussed their upcoming plans for the Arrow and his team.

"So what new intel did we gather from last night?" The Dealer asked as he watched the news coverage of the bombing across from the Theater.

"Well, we know they have a long range marksman." David answered in a bit of a huff, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. "That would have been nice to know before I sent my best sniper out there last night."

"We didn't know about the marksman until it was too late." The Dealer commented as he turned to face the other two men in the room. "Besides, it's not my fault that your sniper didn't use his silencer like you told him too. He was too cocky and that cost him."

"Their marksman is one hell of a shot though." Andrew commented as he looked at information on his tablet. "He shouldn't have been able to make that shot, he was too far away."

"That's irrelevant now. Let's move on to more important things." The Dealer commented as he leaned forward placing his elbows on his desk. "We now have confirmation of at least five people on the Arrow's team, correct?" He asked Andrew.

"Right. There is the Arrow, the man they call Arsenal, the Canary, and the marksman. I also found brief digital footprints on the feeds from the cameras in the area. The tech was fast and good though so I didn't get anything from it. I also know that they work on a comms system. I tried nailing down the frequency but they kept bouncing it around. Their tech is really good. I haven't heard of anyone that good since MIT." Andrew answered with a hint of awe in his voice.

"Okay, so Andrew your main priorities are finding the their Tech and their base of operations." The Dealer issued orders to his computer genius. "I need to know who their tech is and where to find them. I have a feeling that they are the key to getting to the Arrow and his Team."

"On it." Andrew said as he stood to go back to his computers.

"Where are we on the plans for capturing the Arrow?" The Dealer asked David as he leaned back in his chair.

"The final pieces are in place." David answered with a grin.

"Perfect."

* * *

Jackson walked wearily into his house and dropped to the couch. Being the Chief of Police was hard work. He knew that when he took the job, but the last few days had simply taken more out of him than he wanted to admit.

When he first got word that they were to start working with the Arrow Jackson had been furious. He was one of the ones who had been all for hunting the man in the green hood down and putting him away. The fact that he now had to work with the man and his team of vigilantes was a great source of frustration. However, he was starting to see that maybe he had been wrong.

Their first case together he had been pleasantly surprised. Jackson had thought that they would spend hours negotiating with the armed robbers, in reality it had only taken the Arrow and his team less than five minutes to apprehend the suspect and bring them in. The hostages had even been released without being harmed.

Jackson had been surprised again with the whole scenario with the Theater downtown. The Arrow and his Team had come up with a solid plan and executed their end of it flawlessly. Things would have ended perfectly last night if the building that he and Lance had used as their base of operations hadn't been booby trapped. As soon as the concert had let out there had been an explosion trapping them in the room that they had been running the whole security operation from. He had been pleasantly surprised when the Arrow and Arsenal had appeared. He had, however, quickly gotten irritated again when the shooting started. Instead of finding the sniper and taking him out, the Arrow and Arsenal had simply hunkered down in the office building. They hadn't even tried to get them out in one piece.

However, Jackson's opinion of the Arrow and his team had quickly changed when the second explosion went off and the two men in hoods had protected both himself and Lance by putting their own lives at risk. The Arsenal had even been pinned under a large beam because he had pushed Lance out of the way. He knew that if Lance had still been standing in the same spot when the beam fell, that the man would have been crushed to death. The Arsenal had saved Lance's life.

It was in the aftermath of that second explosion that Jackson had finally started to realize who the Arrow really was. He had seen the bullet wound in the man's shoulder and couldn't believe that he was still going, despite the injury. That particular injury would put many of his officers out of commission, and the Arrow simply went about business as usual until they were all safely out of the building. Even then, though, the Arrow shrugged off the injury like is was a small flesh wound, not a bullet through his shoulder! In talking with Lance later he realized that the Arrow frequently kept going on his mission despite whatever injury he may have obtained.

As Jackson sat and thought about how lucky he and Lance were to have survived the night he replayed everything that had happened. As he thought about it again he came to a realization. Every time he had talked to the Arrow or Arsenal they had been using a voice distorter, however, tonight they must have been damaged in the explosion as after the second one went off their voices sounded different. He almost thought he recognized the Arrow's voice.

"That can't be right though." Jackson said to himself. "It sounded like the Arrow was playboy Oliver Queen, but there's no way that could be right. The kid barely knows how to go a night without getting drunk in a club. I must have a concussion or something because I think I'm hallucinating now."

If Jackson had only learned one thing tonight it was this: He was glad the Arrow was in town, because otherwise, he and Lance would have died last night. Maybe it's time I finally give him a real chance. He thought as he headed to bed for some much needed rest.

* * *

Roy stood under the hot spray of the shower for several minutes allowing the hot water to soothe his aching muscles. He had never been more happy to be in the Queen Mansion as he was right this minute as it seemed they never ran out of hot water. He leaned against the cool tile as the hot water cascaded over him and closed his eyes, the events of the previous evening washing over him.

He could still almost feel the office building shaking around him. He remembered looking up briefly and noticing a huge crack in the beam just above his and the Detective's heads and realizing that if the Detective didn't move he would be crushed. He had acted on instinct and rushed over to push the other man out of the way, keeping him from being crushed under the weight. He remember what happened next as if it had just occurred. The building shook even more with the second explosion and Roy hadn't had time to get himself completely clear of the beam. It had hit him quite hard, eliciting a slight scream of pain as it hit his back. He must have blacked out after that for a moment because the next thing he remembered was his Team standing over him, getting him out.

The events after that were a bit of a blur to Roy. Oliver, Sara, and Detective Lance had pulled him clear of the beam and then they had taken a zip line out of the building, just before the top floors collapsed. He hadn't really had time to process what had just happened, that he had come within a hair's breadth of not making it out of that building alive. The Team had made quick work of getting back to the lair and the injuries seen to before coming here, to the Queen Mansion.

As Roy stood thinking about the Team's reception back at the lair, it finally hit him. He could have died last night, and Thea had had to watch and listen as it happened. No wonder she had run to him and embraced him like she had when they got back to the lair. He realized that she almost lost him, and he her. His heart ached at the thought that he had come so close to never seeing her again, holding her in his arms. He scrubbed his hands over his face, trying to keep the tears away. He knew he had to find Thea, apologize for scaring her so much, and simply hold her for a moment.

Roy climbed out of the shower and quickly toweled off before pulling on a comfortable pair of workout pants and going in search of Thea. He knew he would need to get someone to help him wrap his ribs as they had not done so the night before, or was it that morning, he wasn't sure anymore. As he stepped out of the bathroom into Thea's room he realized that she wasn't in there and set out in search of her, or anyone that could help him out. As he stepped out into the hall he noticed Felicity walking towards him, and the stairs, from Oliver's room.

"Hey Roy, how are you feeling?" Felicity greeting Roy cheerfully, happy to see him finally awake. She quickly noticed the bruising on his torso though as he was still shirtless. Apparently just out of the shower if his wet hair is any indication.

"Rested." Roy admitted. He wasn't sure how he had slept so well but was thankful that he was no longer exhausted.

"I should hope so." Felicity responded with a laugh. "You only slept for twelve hours straight. It's almost six in the evening."

"Wow, didn't realize I was out that long." Roy told Felicity.

"Well, you were exhausted, your body was exhausted, and you had every right to sleep that long so don't feel bad." Felicity told Roy. "So, what are you up to?"

"I was looking for someone to tape up my ribs since we didn't do that last night." Roy explained. "I was going to ask Thea, but she's not in her room."

"Oliver's not up here either so I guess you're stuck with me." Felicity said with a smile as she passed him and walked into Thea's room where the supplies were neatly laid on her desk.

Felicity made quick work of taping up Roy's ribs, wincing each time he let out any sound of pain as she felt bad about causing it. A few short minutes later she was finished and Roy had carefully pulled on a shirt and his hoodie.

"Well, what do you say we go on a Queen hunt?" Felicity said mischievously. "Oh, and coffee. Definitely need coffee!"

"Sounds like a plan to me." Roy answered, returning her smile. "I bet they're downstairs hiding the coffee from you." Roy teased. He quickly ducked out of the way as she playfully tried to punch him.

Roy and Felicity found the Queen family gathered in the sitting room. It appeared that they had just finished a serious discussion and both Roy and Felicity made a mental note to ask about it later. Roy went straight to Thea and gave her a gentle hug and a kiss.

"Hey beautiful." Roy whispered into Thea's hair. "We need to talk later." He told her as he pulled back and looked into her eyes. She simply shook her head and gave him a sad smile.

"So." Felicity had finally decided to ask the one question that had been bugging her since she had woken up. "Are we still having a party tonight?"

"Of course we are." Oliver answered with a smile as he wrapped his arm around Felicity's waist and pulled her close, planting a small kiss on her forehead.

"Yup! We can't let anyone get by without celebrating a birthday!" Felicity chimed in.

Oliver laughed in agreement, as well as at Thea's enthusiasm for anything that even resembled a party, before commenting again himself.

"Especially not Diggle."


	30. Birthday Party

"I need to call Sara and make sure she can swing by Verdant and pick up Digg's gift." Oliver commented as he pulled out his phone.

"I'm going to go check on the food for the evening." Moira told the group as she started to head to the kitchen. "Thea, Felicity, would you ladies like to join me?"

"Yeah!" Thea answered enthusiastically. She quickly gave Roy a small kiss and a smile letting him know that they would have that discussion, later.

The women all left to meet Raisa in the kitchen and finish the preparations for the birthday dinner.

"Sara's going to run by the club and get Digg's gift." Oliver told the men with a smile as he joined Roy and Walter.

"He's going to love it!" Roy commented, knowing what the Team had gotten Diggle.

"What do you want to do until everyone gets here?" Oliver asked Roy.

"Honestly, I'd be perfectly content chilling with a beer." Roy answered with a small smile. "My ribs are sore and taped up so a workout probably isn't a good idea. Besides, we'd just have to shower and change again for dinner if we did."

"Good point." Oliver chuckled. "What do you say we go get that beer and raid the desserts for tonight?"

"Perfect plan." Roy smiled mischievously.

"Don't get into too much trouble." Walter warned as the guys left the sitting room. He shook his head and laughed at the mental image of Oliver and Roy, the Arrow and Arsenal, getting into trouble over sneaking desserts before dinner.

* * *

At about six thirty Sara, Laurel, and Detective Lance arrived with Diggle's gift in tow. Moira greeted them at the door and welcomed them in with a smile.

"The children are in the kitchen." Moira commented, laughing at the look on Quentine's face at her use of the word  _children._  "You will have to see it for yourself Quentine." Was the only explanation that she provided.

The sight that greeted them in the kitchen caused Detective Lance, Sara, Laurel, Moira, and Walter who had also joined them, to start laughing out loud. Apparently Oliver and Roy were in trouble for trying to sneak some desserts before dinner and Thea and Felicity were having none of it. The were all brandishing wooden spoons and appeared to be in the throes of what Moira could only describe as a sword fight of epic proportions. The four of them were laughing quite hard at themselves and Walter couldn't believe that he had been right about what would happen.

"What have you done now?!" Sara asked in mock horror.

"These  _criminals_  were trying to sneak some of Digg's birthday cake!" Felicity explained as she swatted Oliver's spoon away. "We need reinforcements!"

"On it!" Sara commented with mock seriousness as she ran to the broom closet just off the kitchen. She reappeared moments later with a broom handle and she quickly aligned herself with the women.

"Hey, no fair!" Roy cried as Sara hit him lightly on the thigh with her new 'bo staff'.

"No, what's not fair was you guys ganging up on poor Felicity and I." Thea retorted.

The standoff lasted for another few minutes until Moira called it off at the sound of the doorbell.

"Okay children, time to put the toys away. That will be Mr. Diggle and Lyla." Moira sternly told the group much to the amusement of Laurel, Lance, and Walter. "Someone take the gift to the other room and clean up in here - quickly." She issued her orders as she went to answer the front door.

"Mr. Diggle, Lyla, welcome. Thank you for joining us for dinner!" Moira welcomed the couple warmly as she ushered them into the sitting room. "Dinner will be ready shortly." She told her guests just as the rest of the group joined them.

It was only five short minutes later that Raisa called them all to the dining room for a lovely dinner. They held easy conversation during the duration of the meal, each anticipating the look on Diggle's face when they finally presented him with his gift.

"Ahem." Diggle cleared his throat loudly and stood to gain the groups attention just as they finished their dinner. "Lyla and I have an announcement to make." He said and a huge grin spread across his face as he looked to the woman sitting next to him.

"Well, what is it?" Roy asked impatiently after a moment of googly eyes between Digg and Lyla.

"Lyla's pregnant." Diggle answered as he looked up to his friends and Teammates in the room. "We're going to have a baby!"

The couple was surrounded with a lot of congratulations and hugs from the entire group.

"Congratulations!" Oliver told Diggle as the men embraced. "That's wonderful news!"

"Thanks man!"

"So, apparently you got one great birthday present with that news. However, we still have a gift for you." Oliver commented after the hugs and congratulations were finished. The Team worked quickly to clear a space on the table so that they could pull out Digg's gift.

"John, you were the first one I trusted with my secret. You've stood by me for the last three years, you're not afraid to tell me when I'm being stupid, you encourage me when I am doing things right, you watch my back every night, you keep my family safe when I can't, you've saved my life more times that I'd like to admit, but most importantly you're my  _friend_. I am truly grateful that my mom brought you into my life! Even if it didn't work out like she wanted it to." Oliver told his friend. The entire group laughed as they had heard about the rocky start that was the relationship between Oliver and Diggle.

"Oliver..." Diggle started to respond but was stopped with a raised hand from Oliver.

"I can never explain how much your friendship means to me." Oliver said sincerely as he laid a hand on the case that was sitting on the table behind him. "Hopefully this helps you to know that I see you as so much more than just my  _black driver._ " He finished with a smile.

Diggle laughed as he turned to the gift on the table that was clearly from all of Team Arrow. He slowly lifted the lid to the case and the smile on his face widened as he saw the contents.

Sitting at the top of the case was a black and grey camouflage leather jacket with a hood. There was a pocket on the front right side that was just the right size for the silencer to his rifle. On the left side there was a gun holster sewn into a pocket. Next there were loose leather pants in the same black and dark grey camouflage. Under that was a belt that held space for extra clips as well as a gun holster for his back. There was another ankle holster and a strap to go across his back whenever he needed to carry his sniper rifle. In the bottom of the case was a new set of boots, much like Oliver and Roy's, in jet black. Inside one of them there was a sheath for a knife.

"We thought it was time you were able to hood up too." Roy said with a smirk. Diggle was clearly speechless, and that didn't happen often.

"Guys, you didn't have to." Diggle stated quietly as he looked up and met the smiling faces of Team Arrow.

"You're part of our Team, and the only one that didn't have a suit." Sara commented. "Besides, the jacket's got a bit of Kevlar in it. Makes you a bit more bulletproof."

"Thank you!" Diggle commented, the sincerity clear in his voice.

"One more thing." Oliver said with a smile as he held out a small box.

"Oliver..."

"Just open it!" Oliver said a hint of a laugh.

Diggle opened the small box in his hands. Inside was nestled a black face mask, just like Oliver's, Roy's, and Sara's.

"No more ski masks." Lyla said quietly next to him with a smile. "The look of a true hero!"

* * *

About an hour later the group was just finishing Diggle's birthday cake as Moira described the wood spoon sword fight to Diggle who busted up laughing at the story. It wasn't often that the Team actually acted their age, or younger, and knowing that they could all still enjoy themselves brought a smile to his face.

"Okay Digg." Roy finally said as he turned to Diggle with a mischievous smile on his face. "When is Overwatch finally going to suit up and take his new gear for a spin?"

"You just want to go train don't you?" Thea asked from her seat next to Roy.

"Well, I just know that a suit needs to be broken in." Roy defended himself. "After all, isn't it better to break it in during training instead of in the field?"

"The kid has a good point." Diggle commented.

"You know." Felicity spoke with amusement. "The new security cameras were finally installed in the QC Training Facility. I need to go by at some point and set up the security. I'm guessing that you guys have some work to do to make sure the equipment is fully functional as well?"

Oliver couldn't help but smile at his soon to be wife.  _Leave it to her to find a way to make everyone happy._  He thought as he squeezed her hand under the table.

"You're right. We do need to go by and make sure everything is in working order." Oliver agreed. "Might as well do that by testing everything. Besides, you'll need us to make sure that the cameras are properly placed right?"

"Right." Felicity said with a nod of her head. "I  _definitely_  need your help."

"So we can go?" Roy asked, sounding much like a little kid waiting to go to the playground.

"Yes, we can go." Oliver confirmed. "But we need to go by the lair first. Felicity will need a couple of things from there."

"And we need to suit up." Sara commented with a wicked grin on her face. "What? John can't be the only one suited up. Besides, won't people start asking questions if they see Oliver Queen shooting arrows around?" She explained noticing the look of amusement on her dad's face.

"Good point!" Roy agreed with Sara's philosophy.

"Okay children." Moira interrupted, she was thoroughly entertained by the banter around the table. "Why don't you all go change into your play clothes and go to the playground for a while."

Walter, Lance, and Laurel couldn't hold their amusement in any longer and a chorus of laughter erupted from around the table.

"I think we get the point mom." Oliver commented as he stood and walked around to where his mom was still sitting. "We're going to go train and get out of your hair." He told her as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek. "We'll be back late."

"Have fun." Moira instructed.

"Can I come too?" Thea asked cautiously, still unsure about where exactly her place was on Team Arrow. Or even if she really  _was_  a part of the Team now.

"Of course!" Felicity exclaimed as turned to Thea. "I'll need your help too!"

It only took the Team, including Thea and Lyla, moments before they were ready to leave the Queen Mansion. They stopped by the lair only long enough to grab their gear and suit up before heading out for their first training session at the QC Training Compound.


	31. Playground

The Team quickly made their way to the lair where Oliver, Sara, Roy, and Diggle each suited up. When Diggle walked out in full Overwatch gear he was met with cheering from his Team and Lyla.

"Johnny, you look amazing!" Lyla commented as she walked up to Diggle. She smiled as she slid her hands under his hood and around his neck, pulling him in for a deep kiss. "I've always wanted to kiss a hero." She commented under her breath, where only she and John could hear.

"Guys! Get a room!" Roy teased as the rest of the Team laughed.

"Oh, we already did!" Diggle commented with a smirk, causing the Team to laugh even more.

"Alright Team, let's finish getting our gear and head out." Oliver commented as he strapped on his quiver, the motion reminding him about something. "Roy, why don't you bring your quiver for target practice, but don't strap it on. You can use your other weapons for any other training we do." He told his young protégé, remembering the angry bruising on the kid's back and not wanting to aggravate it further.

Roy was thankful that Oliver had commented about not wearing his quiver. He had been slightly dreading putting it on as he knew that it would cause his back to hurt more. He gave a brief nod of thanks to Oliver as he checked to make sure his quiver was full and that all of his other weapons were secure.

"I think everyone's ready." Felicity commented as she picked up her laptop bag and her tablet. "Shall we go?"

"Digg, you drive the SUV and take Lyla, Felicity, and Thea." Oliver replied as the group headed outside. "Sara, Roy, and I will take our bikes."

Everyone moved to their respective modes of transportation. However, just before Thea climbed into the back of the SUV with Felicity she turned to where Roy was mounting his Ducati.

"Why don't you let me take these so you don't have to strap them down to your bike?" Thea asked as the gestured to Roy's bow and quiver. She knew she had done something right when Roy gave her the smile that was obviously meant only for her.

"Thanks Thea." Roy responded in answer to Thea's offer. He smiled at her and his heart skipped a beat when she returned the smile, the one meant only for him. It was only a second later when she reached up and pulled him in for a kiss.

It was the sound of her brother clearing his throat mere feet away from them that caused Thea to finally pull back from kissing Roy. She had already decided that she would take every opportunity to show Roy just how much he meant to her, this was simply following up on that promise to herself.

"Race you there." Roy challenged Oliver and Sara after Thea had turned to climb into the SUV.

"You're on kid!" Oliver answered as he turned to Roy with a wicked grin on his face, matching Sara's.

Suddenly all three Ducatis peeled out at breakneck speeds towards the Queen Training Compound.

"Will they ever grow up?" Lyla asked Diggle as she watched the trio in leather speed away.

"I hope not!" Diggle answered with a smile. "That would take all the fun out of it."

* * *

Once they all arrived at the Training Compound, Felicity and Thea quickly set to work setting up the computers that they had brought with them, and Felicity set the computers to begin uploading the changes to the security protocols on the current system. While they were working they couldn't help but laugh at the argument over who had won the race here.

"Okay Team, stop bickering and get to work!" Felicity ordered with authority, a smile on her face and laughter still evident in her voice. "I already have the security protocols updating, I need you guys to check all the cameras and make sure every inch of this place is covered."

"On it." Oliver responded to Felicity's orders without so much as a hint of hesitation. "Roy, John, Sara, with me. Let's cover every inch of this place!"

"I'll stay here with the girls and help them keep track of you all." Lyla commented, knowing that her A.R.G.U.S. training would come in handy for the next while.

The Team worked seamlessly together checking over every inch of the compound. Felicity, Thea, and Lyla made sure that the camera feeds covered everything, while the rest of the Team worked to make minor adjustments to camera angles, as well as check the security on the perimeter to ensure that the compound couldn't be breached easily.

Once the security of the compound was thoroughly checked the Team switched into training mode. Oliver and Diggle teamed up against Sara and Roy in a mock mission. Felicity provided tech support for Oliver and Diggle while Thea did her best to do the same for Roy and Sara. Even though she didn't know as much as Felicity did, Thea was a quick study and was learning very quickly.

The Team stayed out until after two in the morning working, training, and playing at the compound. By the end of the night Oliver and Diggle were sure that they had made the right decision in purchasing the compound as they could already see the benefits of its use for Team Arrow. Not to mention the benefits it would give the Queen Security Team as well.

Even though it was a weary Team that headed home and to bed hours later it had been a good day. The Team had gotten in some much needed training, Diggle had enjoyed a nice Birthday, and for once the Team could enjoy some peace and quiet. However, as Oliver lay in bed he couldn't help but wonder if this was the calm before the storm.

* * *

"GOT IT!" Andrew exclaimed excitedly as his pumped his fist in the air.

"What do you have Andrew?" The Dealer asked from his desk chair. Andrew had been spending countless hours at his computer since they had gotten to Starling City, mostly in an effort to track down the Arrow and his base of operations. He could only hope that his young IT genius finally had some results for him.

"I found him." Andrew said excitedly as he spun in his chair to face his boss. "I found the Arrow's base of operations."

"Show me." The Dealer ordered as he stood and walked over to where Andrew was yet again typing furiously at his computer. He bent over to look at the screen as Andrew pulled up a map of Starling City.

"Okay, so I finally had a thought on how to track him." Andrew commented as he continued to type. "I accessed all the Police records and pulled all the cases involving the Arrow, as well as any sightings I could find and noted their locations on the map. Andrew clicked and dots appeared on the screen indicating where the different incidents occurred. "I then took into account the amount of time it took for the Arrow and Team to show up to each incident. Based off of that information I calculated the approximate distance that the Arrow would have had to travel." A circle appeared on the screen over a section of the Glades. "This is the approximate location of where the Arrow's base would be located based on distance to the incidents and travel time." Andrew said as he pointed to the screen before then turning to face his boss once again.

"I then checked the records for all the buildings in this five block radius. Most of the buildings are abandoned due to the earthquake. However, there is one owned by Oliver and Thea Queen, Verdant. It's a nightclub but it's the only building in the area that pulls the amount of electricity that I would expect to see from a vigilante's base of operations."

"I've finally found you." The Dealer whispered menacingly, sending shivers down Andrew's spine. "Can you verify that this is indeed the location?" The Dealer asked Andrew.

"No." Andrew admitted. "I've tried accessing cameras in the area but they are closed circuit. I can't access them without being on property."

"Not a problem. We'll just case the joint like we did before all this high tech gadgetry." The Dealer commented as he stepped away from the computer. "David!" He called.

"Yes sir?" David answered as he walked quickly into the room.

"It's time to get down to business." The Dealer said with a smile. "Tonight we catch an Arrow!"


	32. Old Friends

Oliver, Felicity, Thea, and Roy piled into the car at the Queen Mansion and headed towards the lair. They were meeting up with Sara and Diggle to go over the plans for the next couple of days as things were about to get very busy. They had all enjoyed a leisurely breakfast on the heels of several good hours of uninterrupted sleep. They were well rested and ready to take on the craziness of pre-wedding, last minute details. It was a happy, smiling group in the car on the way to the Arrow Cave.

As the group descended the stairs Oliver could immediately tell that Sara was training with Sin yet again. He was pleased that the younger woman was taking to it so quickly and could already see her potential.

"How's it going Sara?" Oliver asked curiously.

"Sin's picking it all up quickly." Sara answered with a smile as she twirled her bo staff behind her back.

"Good to hear." Oliver responded with a smile of his own before turning to his other partner. "Morning Digg."

"Oliver." Diggle responded with a nod and a smile as he continued to meticulously clean his sniper rifle.

Felicity smiled as she sat down at her computers. She loved being down here. The Team got along so well and the camaraderie was refreshing, especially after dealing with the scum of the city on a daily basis. She quickly pulled up the searches that she had been running to see if they had had any luck on finding where the Dealer was hiding out, or where David Wilson could have gone.

"Have you found anything Felicity?" Thea asked as she pulled up a chair next to the blonde.

"Nothing yet it seems." Felicity said a bit irritably. The Dealer had been in town for four days and she had yet to find any information that would be of real use to Oliver and the Team.

"I'm sure we'll find something soon." Thea commented thoughtfully. "Hey, have you looked to see if there is any connection between David Wilson and The Dealer?" She asked curiously.

"Yes, but there's nothing." Felicity answered as she looked at the younger woman, wondering what she was thinking.

"Okay, but what about  _all_  of their aliases? Have we run a search to be sure that  _none_  of them are linked in any way?" Thea continued to explain, missing the smile from Roy and Oliver who were just steps away.

"No, I didn't go that deep into it." Felicity admitted, a bit frustrated with herself for not thinking of that before.

"We have been rather busy the last few days." Oliver commented as he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure we'll come up with something soon. Until then we will keep our security protocols in place."

"Speaking of security protocols." Felicity said a bit louder, gaining the attention of the entire Team. "I updated the system after Slade hacked in. This being said the password to the doors will now change every seven days starting tonight at dusk. Don't forget that when you go out on patrol tonight."

"Good thinking Felicity." Sara commented with a smile.

"Thanks. I've spent the last four months tweaking the programs. It will hopefully do a better job of keeping people out now." Felicity explained. "I've also got all the security cameras in a four block radius on closed circuit so people can't have access to them unless they are on property. The system will send me alerts any time someone so much as even  _tries_  to gain access to our system."

"Sounds like you've got the place on lock down." Roy teased.

"Yeah, well after Slade I figured one can't be too careful." Felicity commented quietly, clearly remembering what had happened the last time someone had hacked into her system.

"So, Oliver, what are the plans for today?" Thea asked, noting the look on Felicity's face and deciding it was time to change the subject.

"Diggle has to go pick someone up from the airport in about an hour. The rest of us are going to do some training here in the lair until later this afternoon." Oliver informed the group.

"Thea, Sara, and I have a dress fitting this afternoon at three." Felicity added with a huge smile on her face. "Sin, you are more than welcome to go with us if you would like."

"I'd love to. Thanks!" Sin accepted the offer without hesitation. She couldn't say that dress shopping was her favorite thing to do, however, she did enjoy hanging out with the women on Team Arrow and was excited that Felicity had thought to include her.

"Digg, would you mind going with them to the dress fitting?" Oliver asked as he turned to his Teammate. "I know Sara will be there but she's going to be busy with dresses as well. I'd feel better with a second set of eyes."

"Sure man. No problem." Diggle answered, catching what Oliver wasn't saying. He knew that the younger man was still worried that they hadn't found anything on the Dealer, or David Wilson.

"Well, let's do a quick inventory. Then I'm going to teach you how to make arrows." Oliver commented as he turned to Roy with a smile. Roy's excitement was clearly evident on the kid's face.

The Team worked together to quickly take inventory of everything in the lair. Oliver and Roy took inventory of the arrows and other items that they used on a daily basis. Diggle took inventory of his weapons. Sara and Sin inventoried the medical supplies. Felicity and Thea then proceeded to order the needed supplies. With everyone working it only took about thirty minutes to complete the task.

"Well, I need to head out." Diggle commented as he grabbed his jacket. "See you guys in a bit."

"Bye John." Felicity called from her computers, not even bothering to look up from where she was doing some training with Thea.

* * *

The Team lost themselves in training - Roy and Oliver on how to make arrows then the Salmon Ladder, Sin and Sara sparred, and Felicity continued to train Thea on the computers.

"Oliver, John's almost back." Felicity called just after reading a text that Diggle had sent to Oliver's phone.

"Time to take a break." Oliver said as he tapped Roy on the leg telling him to drop down from where he was hanging on the Salmon Ladder. "I have a friend to greet." Oliver commented as he wiped the sweat off his chest with a towel before putting his shirt back on. He stopped long enough at the computers to give Felicity a small kiss before heading upstairs to the club.

"We'll be up soon." Felicity commented with a smile.

"Thanks." Oliver stated simply, turning to smile at Felicity once again before finishing the ascent to the club above.

"Who are we meeting?" Thea asked curiously.

"A wedding guest." Felicity answered, not giving away any information. She knew that Thea would only have more questions but she had decided she was going to make the younger woman wait to see who had come in today.

* * *

"Oliver, my friend." A deep voice greeted Oliver in perfect Russian as he rounded the corner into the club.

"Anatoli Knyazev! Welcome to my city!" Oliver responded with a smile, also in Russian, pulling his old friend into a tight hug.

"Congratulations Oliver!" Anatoli said with a huge smile. "I did not think I would see the day that you would marry. I am pleased you asked me to come."

"I never thought I'd see the day either." Oliver responded thoughtfully, remembering back to when he had first met Anatoli aboard the Amazo. "Look how far we have come. I am so happy you could make it!"

"Yes, well, you know I only came because your beautiful Felicity insisted upon it." Anatoli teased.

"Yes, well I know how close you and Oliver are. I knew he would like to have you here." Felicity commented from where the Team had gathered by the bar.

Anatoli tilted his head slightly to the side in acknowledgement of Felicity's comment. He was thrilled that they had asked him to come for the wedding. Oliver deserved happiness more than any other person that he knew and was glad that his friend had found that in Felicity.

"Anatoli, you met John Diggle when we were in Russia. However, you haven't had the pleasure of meeting the rest of my Team." Oliver commented as they walked towards Team Arrow. "This is Roy Harper, Sin, and my sister Thea." Oliver pointed to each of his Team as he made the introductions. "And you know Sara of course."

"It is nice to meet you all. Oliver speaks very highly of you." Anatoli greeted Oliver's Team with a smile. He was pleased that the young man had people to help him with his mission.

"Anatoli has been a friend of mine for many years now." Oliver explained to the Team. "He helped me through some very difficult times during my time away, he helped train me and I owe him my life."

There was silence for only a moment before Oliver turned to Anatoli once again.

"Would you like to see our base of operations?" Oliver asked with a glint in his eyes. It was clear to Felicity that Oliver was excited to show off his lair to his old friend.

"Of course." Anatoli answered happily. "Lead the way." He told Oliver in Russian.

* * *

"You have done quite well here Oliver." Anatoli commented after Oliver had shown him around the lair. He was impressed with how well the young man had done since they had last worked together, not including his visit to Russia.

Oliver took great pride in showing Anatoli the lair. This was a man he looked up to, a man who saved his life several times, a man he considered his friend. This man's opinion mattered greatly to him!

"It's not much, but it's home." Oliver said with a small smile as they stood in the center of the lair.

"And a very good home with a very good family." Anatoli responded. "The love of a family is life's greatest blessing." He said to his friend quietly in Russian.

The two friends stood in an easy silence for a moment.

"Oliver." Roy called from where he had been training on the Salmon Ladder yet again. "I have a problem."

"What's wrong Roy?" Oliver asked as he turned to look at the young man. The sight before him made him laugh.

"Kid made it to the top, but he forgot to bring the bar down with him." Diggle laughed from where he was standing next to Felicity.

"I'm going to have to show you how it's done again, aren't I?" Oliver asked as he walked towards the Ladder.

"Looks like. He can't seem to get it right no matter how many times he tries it." Sara added her two cents from her perch across the room.

"It's not that I can't do it. It's just that my back still hurts." Roy said defensively. The bruising on his back was feeling much better, however, Oliver didn't need to know that at the moment.

Oliver shook his head as he peeled his shirt off, thoroughly intending to show Roy just how he had messed up this time. He tossed his shirt and it landed on the table next to Felicity and her computers. She looked up to him with a smirk and he winked before turning back to Roy and his 'problem'. He quickly climbed up the ladder using the notches that the bar slides into on the side, grabbed the bar, and jumped gracefully down to the floor. He then turned to make sure Roy was looking at him before he quickly, and effortlessly, made his way to the top again.

"See, that's how you go up." Oliver told the young man at the bottom of the ladder. "And here is how you come back down with the bar." He swung himself up as if he were going up another rung, however, instead of moving up he allowed himself to fall back to the ground with the bar in hand, landing just as gracefully as he had gone up.

"I will never understand how you make that look so easy." Roy commented, slightly irritated that he couldn't get the bar down himself.

Anatoli laughed at the exchange before him. He was glad that the Team was not only a family, but they were one that could enjoy the lighter moments in life as well. However, as Oliver turned and showed Roy once again how the Salmon Ladder was done Anatoli noticed the massive scarring on Oliver's back.

"Slade." Diggle commented quietly as he came to stand next to their visitor. He had seen the look of curiosity from Anatoli when the man had seen Oliver's back and decided to offer a slight explanation.

"A whip I presume." Anatoli observed.

"Yes." Diggle answered simply.

"Slade was quite mad at Oliver. I am not surprised that the man finally found him." Anatoli said quietly, as if he were talking to himself. "Is he still a threat?"

"No."

"Then all is well at the moment." Anatoli stated, almost as a question.

"Almost." Oliver answered. He had heard the conversation between the two men, obviously. "There is an arms dealer called the Dealer. He is threatening our town and my Team." Oliver informed his friend. "We are having trouble locating him, as well as a man named David Wilson. We don't know yet if he is any relation to Slade."

"Have you spoken with your contacts in the Bratva?" Anatoli asked curiously.

"No." Oliver stated with a shake of his head. "I burned that bridge a while ago trying to track down Slade and his Mirakuru army."

"Well, I shall go see if I can mend that bridge." Anatoli stated. He knew just what to do to make the men in the Starling City branch of the Bratva welcome Oliver back as the Kaptain that he was.

"Anatoli..." Oliver started to argue.

"Do not argue!" Anatoli demanded with a raised hand, surprising everyone in the lair with the way that he stopped Oliver in his tracks. "You earned your place as Bratva Kaptain, your bravery cannot be undone. They  _will_  see the right way."

"Do you need a ride?" Diggle asked as Anatoli started up the stairs.

"No. I can easily find them. Thank you." Anatoli answered. "I will be available through a message left at my hotel if you should need me." He stated just before leaving the lair.

"Back in as Bratva Captain huh." Diggle commented with a grin. "Should have had him come visit a long time ago." This earned him a glare from Oliver.

"Shouldn't you be leaving for a dress fitting with the ladies?" Oliver asked, clearly enjoying the payback for the last comment from his Teammate.

"Oh no! I lost track of time." Felicity said as she quickly stood from her chair and grabbed her purse. "We are going to be  _late_  if we don't leave right now!"

"Felicity." Oliver called to her as she headed towards the stairs. She turned back and looked at him, clearly flustered over the fact that she was almost late. She watched as Oliver approached her with agonizing slowness. "Have fun, I love you." He told her just before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I love you too Oliver." Felicity responded with a small smile before turning again to the rest of the Team. "Now let's go! This is my  _wedding dres_ s we're talking about."

Oliver and Roy laughed as the rest of the group left the lair in a hurry. Neither man jealous of the long, probably boring, evening that Diggle was in for.

* * *

It was a couple of hours later that Oliver and Roy left to patrol the streets of Starling City.

"You know, I could easily stop by the dress shop and check out Felicity's dress." Oliver commented absent-mindedly. He quickly had to move out of the way of Roy's fist attempting to connect with his arm.

"Oliver!" Roy reprimanded his mentor. "You know it's bad luck to see the bride in her wedding dress before she is walking down the aisle!"

"No one said she had to be wearing it." Oliver defended himself.

"Yeah, and no one said you would know which wedding dress, in a store full of wedding dresses, would be Felicity's if she wasn't wearing it." Roy responded.

"Good point." Oliver finally forfeited. "You win, this time. Let's keep moving."

* * *

The Dealer and David watched from a roof across from Verdant as the Arrow and Arsenal emerged, presumably to either stop some crime in progress, or do their rounds. David watched closely as the Arrow punched in a code to go back inside, presumably to grab something that he had forgotten, before he and the man in red left. He wrote down the code, planning to try it once the men were gone.

That had been fifteen minutes ago. The Dealer waited until dusk before finally instructing David to go down and try the code on the door.

"It will be much easier to grab them here if we can." The Dealer commented to David. He also knew it would save them some of that gas that they had acquired.

David quickly climbed down the fire escape and went to the door that the two men in leather had walked out of not that long ago. He quickly punched in the code that the Arrow had input but the door never opened. He tried twice more before realizing that the code must have reset at some point. He returned to their perch on the roof to inform his boss.

"Code didn't work. They must have changed it somehow." David told the other man.

"On to plan B then." The Dealer commented as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, the volume turned up loud enough for David to hear the conversation.

"911. What's your emergency?"

"I just saw Mr. Wilson, the guy the cops are after." The Dealer answered in mock hysteria. "Please, someone help!"

"Okay sir, please try and remain calm. Can you tell me where you saw him?"

"He just went in a warehouse!"

"Where is the warehouse?"

"Here, in the Glades." A smile formed on the Dealer's face.

"Can you tell me where in the Glades? Do you have an address?"

"Um... yeah." The Dealer answered before giving the address of the warehouse that they had prepared.

"Okay sir, we will have someone there shortly."

"Thank you!" The Dealer hung up the phone and turned to David with a grin. "Let's go get our Arrow!"

* * *

Oliver and Roy were standing on the roof of the Dance Studio across from the Starling City Theater quietly watching the city around them. Roy found himself staring at the office building where just two nights before he had been pinned under a beam and was once again thankful that his Team had been there for him.

"You doing okay?" Oliver asked, noticing where Roy was looking.

"I'm fine. Just feeling extremely thankful right about now." Roy answered as he turned to look at Oliver. Before he could say more Oliver's Arrow phone rang.

"Detective." Oliver answered.

"Arrow, we have a reported sighting of David Wilson in the Glades." Detective Lance informed Oliver, or rather the Arrow. "Can you check it out since you and your Team are better equipped to handle him?"

"What's the location?" Oliver asked quickly, making note of the address that Lance gave him.

"We are on our way." Oliver stated.

"Thank you. If you happened to leave him on the front steps of the Precinct the Chief would be most grateful."

"I'll see what I can do Detective." Oliver responded before hanging up the phone.

"Well, looks like we are going hunting tonight after all." Oliver commented as he and Roy turned towards the Glades.

"Let's go then." Roy responded eagerly.

The two quickly moved across town, using rooftops to quickly get to the warehouse since they hadn't bothered to bring their bikes tonight. It was less than five minutes later that they managed to arrive at the address that Lance had provided them.

"Look, all the windows are covered with sheet metal." Roy observed after they arrived at the building and searched the perimeter.

"I don't like this, the only way in is the front door." Oliver commented, more to himself than Roy.

"We going in?" Roy asked curiously. He wanted nothing more than to bring this man down, however, he also knew that Oliver didn't like the options of escape if this happened to be a trap. He quickly got his answer as Oliver walked carefully through the front door.

The two men worked quickly to clear the large empty space in the front of the warehouse. As of yet there was no sign of anyone in the building. They moved quickly and silently to a smaller room in the back of the building. Once Oliver and Roy walked into the room they split up and each walked around opposite sides of the empty room, looking for anything. Once they reached the half way point of the room the one and only door in the room swung shut behind them and a bolt loudly slid into place.

"Oliver?" Roy turned to his mentor. He watched as Oliver instinctively nocked an explosive arrow and fired it at the door. The explosion barely left a mark, and most certainly didn't blow the door open as Oliver had intended.

Moments later Oliver noticed that there was a thick smoke coming from several lines of pipe across the roof. He coughed once as he moved towards the door. Roy met him there and they both pushed at the door, each knowing that it was a futile attempt at escape, especially seeing as it didn't even budge when Oliver fired an explosive at it.

"I'm sorry Roy." Oliver coughed as he fell to one knee. Before Roy could respond, or Oliver could say anything else they fell to the ground and passed out.

* * *

David Wilson slowly opened the door to the back room in the warehouse. He smiled widely at the sight that greeted him. The Arrow and the Arsenal were both unconscious on the floor. Their plan had worked perfectly. He had been skeptical of the Dealer's plan to release a sedative via the pipes in the room, but apparently it had worked. He turned to the four men that had come with him.

"Cuff their hands behind their backs and load them in the van." David instructed. "The Dealer is waiting!"


	33. Unmasked

"It's done." David told the Dealer as he entered the room, a huge smile on his face.

He hadn't thought that they would actually succeed in capturing anyone on the Arrow's team, much less the Arrow himself. David was excited that the plan had worked. They now had two vigilantes in the other room. Both were still out cold and they could do whatever they wanted with them, and even if they were conscious there would be nothing that either man would be able to do as they had ensured that the men's bonds were secure.

"Are either of them injured?" The Dealer asked as he spun in his chair to face David.

"No sir." David answered. "The gas knocked them out before they could injure themselves."

"Perfect. You are dismissed." The Dealer said as he turned back to the window behind him. "We will give them time to come around before we proceed."

* * *

As Roy slowly started to wake from his drug induced sleep the first thing he was aware of was the pain from his still sore ribs and back. He took just a moment before opening his eyes to take in as much about his surroundings as he could. He knew that was what Oliver would tell him to do if he could. He focused first on keeping his breathing under control as something was making it difficult to breathe by putting more strain on his already bruised ribs and back. He thought back to Oliver's lesson on breathing for just a moment and focused solely on that.

When Roy had his breathing completely under control once more he moved his focus to see if he could feel any new injuries. Other than his back and ribs nothing else seemed to be in pain, therefore he was pretty sure he hadn't been injured during the time that he was out. Roy then focused on the rest of his body. He could feel something hard and cold around his wrists, even through the leather of his suit, and realized that he was shackled, to what he didn't know yet. As he focused more carefully he realized that he was hanging from something, probably a chain attached to the shackles on his wrist, as his arms were pulled above his head and his feet barely touched the ground. He still had on his full suit, mask included, and he was relieved at that realization. Although how long he would be allowed to remain in his full suit, and keep his identity hidden, he did not know.

After Roy had carefully taken in his immediate surroundings he then focused further out from himself. He only heard one other person breathing in the room and he couldn't help but wonder if it was Oliver. There was no sound from outside the room, no cars or trains, not even the sound of the rain that had just started to fall as he and Oliver had entered the warehouse. He realized that they were in a building with no direct access to the outside and he immediately wondered which warehouse in the Glades they were being held captive in this time.

Finally, after several minutes of taking inventory of his own injuries, observing his surroundings, and waiting to see if he could hear anyone else in the room Roy finally opened his eyes and looked around. He had to blink several times from the bright light that was in the room. Once his vision cleared he slowly looked around.

Oliver was still in his full Arrow gear and shackled to a metal chair that had been securely anchored to the ground just off to Roy's left. Roy noticed that someone had put a small tube just in front of Oliver's nose and thought it looked like the same kind of tube that people had in the hospital to give the patients oxygen. However, he didn't know what it was called as he had never cared to ask. He couldn't help but wonder what it was that they were making Oliver breathe.

After an agonizingly long minute Oliver lifted his head and looked at Roy. Clearly Oliver wasn't completely aware, however, Roy could see the unasked question in the older man's eyes and knew that, even though Oliver wasn't completely with it at the moment, his mentor was asking if he was okay. Roy gave a small nod of his head to indicate that he was alright and that Oliver shouldn't worry.

As Roy continued to look around he realized that his suspicions were correct. His shackles were attached to a chain and that chain was looped through a ring in one of the cement cross beams in the room. The beam was probably about twelve feet off the ground if his estimations were correct. There was only one door to the room, there were no windows, and Roy could see surveillance cameras in the room with their blinking red lights. I wonder if he's broadcasting this to the Team like Slade did. Roy thought for a moment.

Roy's thoughts were interrupted as the door to the room opened and the Dealer and David Wilson walked in.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here." The Dealer commented as he pressed his hands together before touching the tips of his fingers to his chin. "The Arrow and his 'mini me'."

The Dealer laughed and Roy could feel the goosebumps raise on his skin. His dad was behind this, as he had begun to suspect, and that would not end well for either himself or Oliver. He dreaded what was going to happen next.

"What do you think David? Is it time to find out the identity of the Arrow and his sidekick?" The Dealer asked as he walked towards Oliver.

Roy wanted to call out to his dad to stop, to leave Oliver alone. However, he knew that as soon as he spoke his dad would know it was him. He also knew that simply begging him to stop would do nothing. If anything it would cause him to do more harm to Oliver and Roy would not be the cause of that. Therefore he simply bit his lip, waiting to see what would happen next, how Oliver would react.

"I've been fascinated with you, Arrow, since the moment I heard about you being here in Starling City." The Dealer said as he started to slowly walk towards Oliver. "You see, my son lives in this town. Oh! Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful that you're keeping the city safe. However, I can't help but wonder what kind of influence you are being on the younger generation. You see, my son is easily influenced and tends to get into fights. I'm simply worried that he may take after you, start fighting more, even start to think that killing is acceptable. You see, I'm not okay with that. I'm fiercely protective of my family and I would hate for anything to happen to him simply because he wants to be  _you_." The Dealer paced around the room as he spoke, drawing this out for the pure fun of it.

Roy couldn't believe what he was hearing.  _Since when does he care about me?_  Roy thought as his dad talked about being protective. He's never once cared how I was. He was more interested in beating the crap out of me. He thought as he watched his dad pace around the room. As much as he hated listening to his dad talk about things that weren't true, he knew that as soon as he stopped talking he would unmask Oliver, and Roy knew that that would be bad for both of them.

"I've been away for a long time you see. I've traveled around the world, made new friends. But, as soon as I come back to town I hear that there is this masked man who hurt one of my closest friends, and this good man's brother." The Dealer continued, pointing to David standing next to him.

 _I guess that answers that question_. Roy thought. He looked closely at David Wilson and could now very clearly see the family resemblance. The similarity sent chills down Roy's spine as he thought about what Slade had done not only to him personally, but to his Team and the city as well.

"I don't take kindly to people hurting my friends, or my family. You see, as soon as I heard about my friend Slade I went to see my son. I asked him to help me find the man responsible, the man who took David's brother away from him. But you know what my son said?" The Dealer asked as he leaned down to get right in the Arrow's face. "He told me no. His own father! It took me a moment but I finally figured out why. He thinks he owes you after you saved his life from the Savior. What my poor boy doesn't realize is that you're not really a hero. You're a  _killer_! Now can you imagine what he's going to say when I have to tell him the truth about you?"

The Dealer stood, stepped away from Oliver, and stood next to David. Roy knew that everything his dad was saying was a load of crap. He wished the man in front of him really cared for him as much as he claimed. However, he knew that the man was lying and he was fearful of what was going to happen when they finally discovered the identities of the Arrow and Arsenal. _I hope Digg's keeping a close eye on Felicity, Sin, and Thea._  He thought.

"I think it's time we finally unmask the man that has been terrorizing this city." The Dealer said as he turned to face David. "Time to unmask the Arrow!"

Roy watched as David walked up to Oliver and grabbed his hood in a fist. In one quick move he quickly pulled back Oliver's hood before quickly removing his mask as well. Roy could practically feel the energy in the room change. There was now a strange feeling, like his dad was seeing an old enemy, or a ghost.

"Impossible!" The Dealer said in astonishment. "You  _can't_  be the Arrow!"

"Oliver Queen?!" David said in shock. He had heard of this man. He had been his brother's companion on the island of Lian Yu. The man before him had also been responsible for the murder of his brothers love, the reason his Slade had lost an eye, and now the reason that he would never see his brother again. Rage took over him and his hand clenched into a fist and he quickly struck Oliver Queen on the jaw.

"David! Stop!" The Dealer had seen David's rage reach its boiling point. He was fine with David hurting the Arrow but they had other things to do before he allowed David to inflict too much pain on the man strapped to the chair.

"Mr. Queen, I never imagined that  _you_  of all people would be the Arrow. I had almost thought you had died on that God forsaken island. I honestly don't know how you survived your meeting with Mr. Wintergreen, much less the rest of your time there. How fortunate for you that you survived. And now how unfortunately for you that I have come to town because I am going to  _destroy_  you!" The Dealer sneered.

Roy's heart started to race as the Dealer came to the end of his speech to Oliver. He knew what would happen next. His dad would come over to him, take his hood and mask off, and go stark raving mad at the fact that he was the Arsenal. He did his best to keep his breathing under control as the man walked towards him. Roy looked past the Dealer to Oliver and saw his mentor looking at him. Suddenly Roy realized that whatever they were using to sedate Oliver couldn't be working as well as they though it was as he now saw complete clarity in the other man's eyes. Oliver didn't say anything but encouraged him to be brave and strong with just a simple, almost imperceptible, nod of his head.

"So, Arrow mini me. It's time to see who  _you_  are." The Dealer said as he walked up to the man in red hanging in the middle of the room. He was curious as to who Oliver Queen had brainwashed into being his sidekick. He reached up and jerked back the hood of the man in chains. The sight of the face before him shocked him completely and his breath caught in his throat for a moment.

Roy met his dad's eyes with a glare the moment his hood had been jerked back. He saw the moment his dad realized who was under the hood and he heard the sharp intake of breath from the man before him. The Dealer then reached up and jerked his mask off quickly, as if trying to be sure that he was indeed seeing what he thought he was.

"Son?!"


	34. Encouragement

"You're the Arsenal?" The Dealer asked Roy, still shocked that it was his son, of all people, that was before him in the red leather and hood. "That's the reason you wouldn't tell me anything about the Arrow wasn't it? You were trying to save your own ass, as always." The Dealer turned and stepped back two paces before spinning around, hands pressed together in front of him, touching his chin in thought. "You realize what this means right?" He asked his son.

Roy continued to glare at the man that just happened to be his dad. The only time he broke eye contact with him was when the Dealer turned to step away a couple of paces. While he had his back turned Roy glanced briefly to Oliver, noting the look of encouragement in the older man's eyes, before again meeting his dad with a glare.

"When I came to you for information I told you what would happen if you didn't cooperate." The Dealer said after a moment of silence, amused at the glare that his son was attempting to give him. "I am sorry to say that I intend to make good on my promise, but first." He turned to look at David. "David, would you please do me a favor and rid my son of this ridiculous leather jacket and hood that he is wearing? It's just going to get in the way."

"It would be my pleasure." David answered with a smirk. This was going to be fun. He pulled out a large blade and walked up to the kid in chains. He decided to be nice, even if only slightly, and unzipped the front of the kid's jacket before sliding the knife up the sleeves, effectively cutting the jacket off of his arms. The red leather dropped to the floor a moment later. David reached down to pick up the jacket and walked out with it.

Roy couldn't help the slight shiver that went down his spine at the Dealer's words. He clearly remembered what the other man had said he would do if Roy didn't help him find the Arrow and as much as he trusted Diggle and Sara he was afraid for Thea and Sin. He didn't much care what happened to him, however, he would never forgive himself, and neither would Oliver, if something happened to Thea because of him.

Oliver didn't miss the shiver from Roy as the Dealer spoke, and then again when David Wilson cut Roy's jacket and shirt off. Oliver remembered what Roy had told him the Dealer would do, if he could, since he hadn't helped his dad track Team Arrow down. He worried for his sister and Sin, however he also knew that they were with Sara and Diggle and he hoped that they would stay there, for their own safety.

"You know what to do now." The Dealer told David without ever breaking eye contact with Roy.

"Yes sir." David answered, slightly surprised at the complete lack of emotion in the other man's voice at the last comment. He found that he was happy that he wouldn't have to stick around to watch whatever the Dealer had in store for his wayward son.

Roy refused to say a word in response to anything his dad said. He knew that the man before him would say, and do, anything to get to him. He also refused to break eye contact with the man. He knew that if he did the chances of him making it through whatever was planned next would decrease. He knew a good deal of what his dad was capable of and if he didn't focus on his own silence and keeping eye contact he would think of those things, and he would break. He resolved to remain strong and silent, regardless of what happened next. However, he couldn't keep the fear, and the memories, at bay when the Dealer walked towards him once more.

The Dealer waited until David had left the room and shut the door soundly behind him before he walked slowly towards Roy. As he slowly came closer to his son he reached down and unbuckled his belt. He stopped about four feet from where Roy hung, not once breaking eye contact with the boy, and in one swift motion pulled his belt out of its loops. It had been several years since he had done that, and yet he pulled his belt free as easily as he had all that time ago.

Oliver watched as the Dealer pulled his belt out in one swift move. He had a feeling that he knew what was coming next.

"Don't touch him." Oliver growled in his Arrow voice. "You can do whatever you want to me, just let him go. None of this is his fault."

"I don't think so." The Dealer answered Oliver, without ever looking away from the kid before him. "I'm sure you didn't force him to work with you. Knowing him he came to you, begging for acceptance. That's just who he is, a worthless piece of scum." The Dealer folded his belt in half and snapped it once. "No, it's time this boy finally learns his lesson."

Roy watched, terrified, as his dad pulled his belt free. He clearly heard each time the belt pulled free of another belt loop. That sound was forever burned in his memory, as well as the feel of the belt on his flesh that always came soon after. He felt a brief moment of hope when Oliver begged to take his punishment, but his hope was soon trampled upon when the Dealer so clearly refused Oliver's offer. If Roy were being honest with himself though he was glad Oliver's offer had been refused.  _He doesn't need anything to happen to him that could keep him from finally marrying Felicity next week._  He thought as he watched his dad approach him.

The Dealer walked up to where he stood within reach of his son. It had been a long time and yet when the belt first landed on Roy's side he couldn't help but feel a rush of exhilaration at the sound of the leather belt making contact with flesh. Oh had he missed this!

* * *

**1 Hour Ago**

Felicity watched as Thea spun in front of her for the third time. Her future sister-in-law looked stunning in this last dress, and the color complimented her very well. She couldn't help but feel more excited as she realized that this was the dress that the women were to wear to her wedding.  _My wedding! To Oliver! NEXT WEEK_! She thought with excitement. She couldn't believe that they had finally reached this point. Her fairy tale ending was within sight and she couldn't be happier. She was marrying the man of her dreams, her prince charming, her knight in green leather.

Her tablet beeped from where it sat in her purse next to her. Felicity quickly pulled it out to see what the alert was for and almost laughed as she glanced outside.

"What's so funny?" Sara asked as she walked back out of the dressing room, happy to be back in her jeans and t-shirt instead of a dress.

"It seems the boys forgot that the password changed at dusk today." Felicity said with a smile.

"What makes you say that?" Diggle asked as he stood next to her.

"Because, they just tried three times to get into the lair and kept putting in the old code." Felicity said with laughter still evident in her voice.

"Are you going to call Oliver and remind him of the new code?" Thea asked as she joined the group gathered around Felicity.

"Nope!" Felicity said defiantly. "I'm going to let them stew over it for a while and wait for them to cave in and call me." She said with a smirk, eliciting laughter from the group gathered around her.

"Well, if they didn't think to get the code before they left then it serves Abercrombie right!" Sin said with finality.

"Miss Smoak, we are ready for you." The tailor called from the dressing room door, with a wedding gown in hand.

"Go on, I'll keep an eye out for a call or text from your forgetful fiancé." Sara said as she pried the tablet out of the other blonde's hands. "You go put on that stunning wedding gown so we can see you in it!"

"Okay." Felicity said, the smile on her face growing. "Don't be too mean to them." She said as she walked away, knowing that the comment was pointless.

* * *

**Present**

It was several minutes later when the Dealer finally stopped beating Roy with the belt. Roy knew that he probably has several new welts all over his chest and back, and his body was protesting after the latest abuse it received. It was taking all the concentration that Roy had to keep his breathing under control and he had given up keeping eye contact with the man before him. He realized that even after the beating from his dad he was thankful for one thing, that he hadn't used the belt buckle this time. He clearly remembered just how much the buckle hurt and was beyond glad that he had been spared that pain, even if only for a short time.

"I hope you know, son, that I keep my promises." The Dealer told Roy after he had finished beating the boy with the belt again. "You deserved that beating and so much more, however I am going to allow you a bit of time to recover, and to think over what you have done. I will return when I have more collateral for your cooperation." He then turned and left the room, leaving the Arrow and Arsenal alone for the time being.

"Roy?" Oliver asked after a moment. He could see that his Teammate was in pain and needed to know how Roy was doing.

"I'm fine." Roy replied, clearly in pain. "Just a little sore." He hissed through his teeth.

"Ribs?"

"Just a little more bruised." Roy replied, avoiding Oliver's eyes.

"Back?"

"Throbbing, but that will go away in time." Roy said from experience. It would take a bit longer than usual seeing as his back was badly bruised to begin with. However, eventually, the pain would dull.

"Anything else hurt?"

"No." Roy answered softly. He finally chanced a look at his mentor. Where he thought he would see pity he saw something else. Was that pride he saw in Oliver's eyes?

"I know it hurts but the only way to get through the pain is to focus on something else. I know the pressure on your injured ribs is making it hard to breathe so just close your eyes, remember what I taught you, and focus on slow, steady breaths. Focusing on that will help draw your mind away from the pain." Oliver instructed, hoping that he would be able to use his knowledge to ease some of Roy's discomfort.

Oliver was extremely proud of Roy at the moment. He knew that the beating from the Dealer had to have brought back many memories. He also knew that Roy had to be in quite a lot of pain from the beating. However, through it all Roy never once cried out in pain, never once lost focus. He knew that with that determination they had a chance of getting out of here.

"Roy." Oliver called to the young man.

"What?" Roy answered quietly, not bothering to open his eyes as he was still trying to ignore the pain.

"I'm proud of you!"


	35. Worry

"I don't know why. It's not like I've done anything." Roy said quietly as he moved his gaze away from Oliver.

"That's not true Roy." Oliver replied. "In the last four days you have talked to a man that you though was dead. You have endured a beating from your father, who also happened to abuse you as a child. You helped keep watch over the citizens of Starling City at the concert. You were in an explosion and ended up pinned under rubble because you wanted to save a man's life. Then just now you survived another beating, keeping silent and determined despite previous injuries to your ribs and back." Oliver explained.

Oliver needed Roy to understand that he really was proud of him. He knew that if Roy had been in top physical condition when they had been captured then the younger man wouldn't be doubting himself so much. He also knew that the combination of Roy's previous injuries, coupled with the way he was currently hanging, had to be putting his younger Teammate through a lot of pain. But, Oliver also knew that Roy was stronger than this, _all he needs to do is to believe in himself_.

"Roy, I know you're in pain and your bruised ribs aren't helping the situation. However, I know you can do this. You are so much stronger than you think you are." Suddenly Oliver realized just what he needed to say to give Roy the last bit of encouragement that he needed. "You need to look at this as any normal mission. Don't look at that man as anything other than another mark that we are here to take down. If you can do that, separate the man from the memories, then you can get through this. You  _can_  defeat him, once and for all!"

Roy hung silent for a moment, digesting everything that Oliver had just told him. He knew that Oliver was right, he usually was, and he realized that all he had to do was just believe that he could beat his dad and get Oliver home, in one piece, before the wedding. From this point onward Roy was determined to treat this as any other mission, and take the Dealer down!

"Thank you Oliver." Roy said quietly as he looked back to his mentor. "Thank you for always believing in me, encouraging me."

Oliver gave a brief nod in response to Roy's thanks. There really were no more words needed.

"How are you feeling?" Roy asked, realizing that he had neglected to check on his Teammate.

"Fine." Oliver answered simply.

"What are they giving you through that breathing tube?" Roy asked curiously, realizing that he wasn't going to get any more answers to his last question.

"A sedative." Oliver explained as best he could. "It's not messing with my mental awareness much, just my muscles. They feel like they are jello right now so I would be useless in a fight. I suspect, though, that some good, clean air would flush it out of my system pretty quickly."

"Well, we are both useless in a fight unless we can find a way out of here." Roy commented as he started to look around again, trying to find some way to get them both out of there.

* * *

Detective Lance looked at his watch for the tenth time in the same number of minutes. It had been two hours since he had called Oliver with the tip on David Wilson. It didn't usually take Team Arrow this long to deliver the bad guy to his front doorstep, and that though worried him slightly. Finally, after changing his mind several times he called the Arrow's cell phone. When he didn't get an answer he tried the next hero in his list of contacts, Sara.

Sara was thoroughly enjoying her evening. Shopping for dresses and getting them altered wasn't high on this Assassin's list of favorite things to do, however, the sight of Felicity, beaming, in her wedding dress made it all worth it. She knew that Oliver would love Felicity's dress! As Felicity turned back to the dressing room to change out of the dress Sara's phone rang.

"Hi dad." Sara answered cheerfully. However, her happiness quickly faded when she heard her dad's tone of voice.

"Sara, are you with Oliver?" Lance asked his daughter. He had thought the whole Team would go to check out the tip that they had gotten, but he wanted to be sure before he assumed they were together.

"No dad. I'm at the Bridal shop with Felicity and Thea. Why? Is something wrong?" Sara couldn't help but worry at the tone of her dad's voice. Diggle quickly picked up on it and stepped over to see if everything was okay.

"I got a tip about David Wilson about two hours ago. I called the Arrow to see if he could check it out since he's more equipped to handle such things." Lance took a deep breath, trying not to be too worried over nothing. "The only problem is... I still haven't heard back from him."

"You think something happened?" Sara asked quickly, standing to gather their things so that the group could be out the door as soon as Felicity came out.

"I don't want to worry you guys for no reason, but at the same time Wilson is a dangerous man. I'm just afraid that something may have happened and I'd feel better if you guys could tell me that everything is okay." Lance explained.

"Got it. We'll head back to base in just a minute and I'll call you once we have some information." Sara told her father. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. It wouldn't be the first time Oliver broke his phone in the field." Sara chuckled, hoping she was right.

"What's wrong?" Diggle asked as Sara hung up her phone. He had caught on to the fact that something was up simply from the way that she responded to her dad's phone call.

"Dad called Oliver and asked him to check out a lead on David Wilson." Sara said quietly where only John could hear. "That was two hours ago. He hasn't heard from them since."

"We'll have Felicity track them down when we get back to the lair." Diggle said calmly as Thea, Sin, and Felicity walked towards them.

"Track who down?" Felicity asked, unable to hide her huge smile.

"We'll fill you in when we get there." Diggle said as he turned to escort the women out the door.

"Okay." Felicity said happily.

The group headed straight to Verdant and Sara and Diggle remained silent on the mission that awaited them. Felicity didn't even notice anything was wrong as they were careful not to mention anything, or show that there was something wrong. Not to mention that she, Sin, and Thea were in deep discussion about how Felicity's dress had already fit her like a glove and the two younger women couldn't imagine any alterations being needed.

Once the group arrived back in the Foundry and Felicity was in front of her computers Sara told the women what was going on.

"Dad called Oliver about two hours ago with a tip on David Wilson." Sara said carefully, not wanting to scare Felicity any more than she would already be when she heard Oliver was missing. "He needs you to track Oliver and Roy so we can let him know where the guys are."

"Why?" Felicity asked starting to get slightly worried as she worked on locating the men via their trackers. "Is something wrong?"

"Dad hasn't heard from them since the initial phone call and that's a bit out of character for Oliver." Sara explained, noting the fact that Felicity was beginning to get really worried. "We just want to make sure nothing happened to them."

Felicity's fingers moved faster over the keys to her computer. Now that she knew that the love of her life could be in danger again she worked as quickly as she could to locate him so that she could let the Detective know that he was worrying for no reason, and to put her own mind at ease. Finally, after five minutes of furious typing Felicity lost her control.

"ARGH!" Felicity screamed, slamming a fist down on the table and startling Thea and Sin who were seated not far away. "I CAN'T FIND THEM!"

"Give us a minute please." Sara said quietly to Thea. She knew Thea had to be worried for her brother and boyfriend, and yet Sara also knew that they had to calm Felicity down if they had any hope of finding Roy and Oliver. "I'll let you know as soon as we find something." Sara told the women.

"We'll be in the club." Thea stated, trying to hide her concern. "I have some paperwork to do in the office anyway."

"Thank you." Sara gave the young women a small smile in thanks before turning back to Felicity as the girls climbed the stairs to the club above.

"Eleven days." Felicity whispered as she stared at the screen. "Eleven days and we would be getting married." She spun slowly in her chair to face Diggle who stood next to her chair. "Why did he have to disappear when we are so close?" Felicity asked as she tried to hold back the tears.

"Felicity, listen to me." Sara knelt beside Felicity's chair so that she could look the other blonde in the eyes. "If I know anything about Oliver I know this. There is no force on earth that could keep him away from meeting you under the Chuppa. He loves you with a kind of love that transcends time and distance. He would travel around the world one hundred thousand times without rest if it meant that he could be with  _you_. Wherever he is you can rest assured that he is doing everything in his power to come back to you." Sara offered Felicity a small encouraging smile. "But, also knowing Oliver, it wouldn't hurt to meet him halfway. He's not the best at following directions."

Felicity allowed a small laugh to escape. Sara was right, Oliver did love her, and as of yet he had always come back to her. Sara was also right in the fact that she needed to do her part to help bring Oliver home safely. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand before turning back to her computer where she rested her hands on the keyboard for just a moment, gaining her composure, before she started to type once more.

"Sara, call your dad and let him know that Oliver and Roy are missing. Digg, I need Thea's help." Felicity issued orders like she hadn't been on the verge of tears just moments before. She had determined to treat this like any other mission, otherwise there was no way she was going to get through it.

Sara smiled and stood as she pulled her phone out to call her dad. Diggle smiled at her before turning to go up the stairs to find Thea and Sin and bring them back down to help in whatever way they could. Felicity quickly typed on her computer, starting searches and traces that only she could make sense of for the time being.

Felicity was determined to bring her soon to be husband home, and in one piece preferably.

* * *

Roy's arms were starting to ache from being held in the same position for so long. He wasn't sure how long they had been left alone, but he did know that his dad would eventually return. He looked to Oliver and noticed that the older man was sitting with his eyes closed and Roy panicked for just a moment, afraid that something had happened to his mentor in the last few minutes.

"I'm fine Roy." Oliver commented quietly as he opened his eyes and looked back to his young teammate. "Just thinking about her."

Roy knew Oliver was talking about Felicity. He also knew that Oliver wouldn't say her name out loud so as not to draw any unwanted attention to her.

"They'll find us Oliver." Roy commented with a small smile. "She's our own version of Batman's Oracle. There is nowhere anyone can hide that she won't find them."

"Oracle?" Oliver asked curiously.

"Yeah, haven't you ever read the Batman comics? His super genius IT girl is called Oracle. She provides all the technical support for Batman and Robin, his sidekick." Roy explained with a grin, temporarily forgetting the aches and pains in his body.

"You're crazy." Oliver said with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm right and you know it." Roy teased.

"Yeah, maybe." Oliver finally conceded.

"Don't worry, they'll find us." Roy said encouragingly, as much to convince himself as he was trying to convince Oliver. "If we don't escape first that is."

Oliver laughed at that. Roy was right, one way or another they were going to get out of here. The only thing he worried about was what they, or more specifically Roy, would have to endure before they escaped.

* * *

"I wish they would tell us what's going on." Thea complained as they walked through the door to the office. "I hate not knowing what's happening and I can't stop worrying about Roy!"

"I know! They're acting like we're children." Sin agreed. "We're not! We are just as capable of helping as anyone."

"I couldn't agree more." A deep voice said ominously from the back corner of the office.


	36. Siblings

Andrew sat transfixed on his screen as he listened to the speech that the Dealer was giving the Arrow. He knew the man was a good liar, he just didn't realize  _how_  good until he started talking about a son in Starling City, which Andrew  _knew_  to be a lie. He was curious, as he watched the video feed, as to who really was under each of those hoods. If he was honest with himself he admired the Arrow, and now the Arsenal. They fought for what was right, for those who couldn't defend themselves. He understood the Dealer's reasoning behind hunting the Arrow, but that didn't mean he agreed with it.

To say that Andrew was surprised at who the man under the green hood was would be a huge understatement. Of all the men in Starling City Oliver Queen was the last person he would have expected. He didn't know how or why Mr. Queen had become the Arrow, but Andrew suddenly looked up to the man, the hero, even more. No one would suspect a billionaire playboy of being a hero!

Andrew continued to watch as the Dealer then moved on to the man in red, the Arsenal. This man was obviously younger than Mr. Queen, probably in his early twenties, and yet he seemed to have the same passion for protecting Starling City that his older counterpart did. Andrew found himself wishing that he had had another option for his occupation. Unfortunately there had been  _no_ other option. The Dealer had found him his senior year of MIT and threatened his adoptive family if Andrew didn't work for him.

Andrew watched intently as the Dealer reached up to pull back the Arsenal's hood. He was dying to know who it was that worked so closely with the Arrow. The answered made him breathless.

"It's not possible!" Andrew said quietly to himself in astonishment. The man on the screen was a mirror image of himself three years ago. He stared, surprised, as the Dealer called the man his son. "He never mentioned... he didn't say... I have a brother?" He stammered to himself as he worked through all the emotions that were swirling inside him at this revelation. He was clearly related to the man in chains, just as clearly as he was related to the Dealer. He had never thought it possible, but from the looks of things he had a brother, a real brother!

Andrew watched in horror as his dad didn't miss a beat. He quickly pulled his belt free of its loops and proceeded to give the Arsenal quite a beating with the belt. He knew that the younger man had to be in pain despite the fact that he didn't make a sound. He could see the extensive bruising on the younger man's body, and that sight, coupled with the beating that his dad was doling out, made him furious. He quickly shook himself to gain his senses back and turned to another computer monitor. It was time to do what he had been warned not to do, he started doing thorough research on the man who was his father.

* * *

Felicity was typing furiously on her computer and Sara wondered how much longer the keyboard would be able to take the abuse before bursting into flames from the speed that Felicity was typing. She knew that Felicity was desperate to find Oliver and Roy and therefore didn't say anything. It was right after Diggle left to go find Sin and Thea that Felicity's computers sounded an alert.

"Interesting." Felicity said quietly to herself, not slowing her typing for a moment.

"What's interesting?" Sara asked curiously.

"I put a trace on all files dealing with Roy and his family just in case someone else tried to access them." Felicity explained. "Well, someone is accessing them now. I'm trying to back trace their signal, but they are hiding pretty good."

"Any idea on who it could be?"

"Nope, they're gone." Felicity answered. "They just downloaded the files then went off the grid again." Felicity continued to type for a few more seconds before stopping and turning to Sara. "This guy is from MIT." She stated simply.

"How do you know?" Sara was beyond curious now.

"Gut feeling."

"We have another problem." Diggle said, clearly frustrated, as he descended the stairs. "Thea and Sin are gone. They made it to the office but they are no where in sight. I've searched the club twice."

"How do you know they didn't just step outside for air?" Felicity asked, pulling up the feed from upstairs.

"Thea's phone was on the ground. If I remember correctly, she wouldn't be caught anywhere without it." Diggle answered.

"You're right, that is a problem." Felicity said worriedly.

* * *

Andrew turned as his dad walked back in, threading his belt back through its loops.

"You never told me I had a brother." Andrew commented nonchalantly.

"You never asked." The Dealer answered simply. "I have a meeting with the Bratva. Keep an eye on them and make sure they don't do anything stupid." He said, gesturing to the men on the security feed. "I shouldn't be gone too long. I just need to meet with another Captain or something just in from Russia. David should be back soon." He turned to walk out the door, coat in hand. "Make sure you find me that tech!" He called over his shoulder on his way out.

Andrew turned back to his computer, thankful for the silence. He quickly pulled up the files that he had downloaded. He normally wouldn't risk putting files like this on his computer, but, someone had caught him probing for answers and was trying to follow his signal. He had gotten out quick and locked his computer down once again to keep whoever it was out. He suspected, though, that it was the tech behind the Arrow.

As he browsed the files Andrew felt sick to his stomach. He read all the medical reports, his mother's autopsy report, and the files from the DA where they had inquired about how his dad was treating his brother. Andrew still couldn't believe he  _had_ a brother. Roy Harper, just three years younger than him. Apparently the Arrow had saved him from the Savior a while back, and obviously taken him under his wing since then.

Andrew wasn't entirely sure why his dad had chosen to capture Roy as well, or what he intended to do with him. He also didn't know if he could just stand by and watch as his brother, who he had only just learned about, got the crap beaten out of him by their dad. He hadn't even officially  _met_  his brother yet and he already felt incredibly protective of him.

Andrew had known all along that his dad was an evil person, however, he was just now learning what extent the man was willing to go to in order to get what he wanted.

* * *

Roy and Oliver had been in contemplative silence for quite a while. Roy suspected that Oliver had fallen asleep for a short time on a couple of occasions and that hadn't surprised him given the fact that his mentor was constantly breathing in a sedative. Roy had been thinking about the threats from the Dealer and was sincerely hoping that Thea and Sin were staying within sight of Diggle and Sara at all times. The last thing he wanted was for them to get caught up in this whole mess.

Roy was brought out of his thoughts as the door opened. He and Oliver both looked up to see David Wilson walk in with an unconscious Thea and Sin in tow. He tied each woman to a chair before walking over to Oliver.

"The Dealer won't let me kill you, yet." David said with a smirk. "But that doesn't mean I can't beat you up a bit." He then proceeded to land several punches to Oliver's torso. After a few moments he stepped back, a wicked grin on his face. "I hope you enjoy your new cell mates."

Once David finally left the room Roy turned to Oliver.

"You okay?" Roy asked.

"Fine." Oliver answered, slightly out of breath.

"I wanted to keep them out of this." Roy commented quietly as he looked to the two women in the room. "They don't need to be here, to see this."

Oliver's was about to respond but was cut off by Thea who had just woken up.

"Ollie? Roy?"


	37. The Heavy Bag

"Thea, are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Oliver asked, worried for his sister.

"No, he put a cloth over my face. It had something on it that smelled sweet. I don't remember anything after that." Thea explained as she looked around slowly.

Oliver could tell the moment she really took in the sight of Roy hanging from the chains as she looked even more worried than before.

"Roy? Are you okay?" Thea asked her boyfriend.

"I'm fine Thea." Roy answered simply.

"How did you get those new bruises?"

"Thea." Oliver tried to interrupt, only to be completely ignored by his sister. He wanted to divert his sister's attention so that Roy wouldn't have to explain, however it didn't work as her curiosity was getting the best of her - again.

"Roy, did he beat you again?" Thea asked, deciding that for once she wasn't going to let Oliver keep her from getting her questions answered.

"It doesn't matter." Roy said softly. He really didn't want to talk about what had happened right now.

"What do you mean it doesn't matter?" Thea asked, she was getting irritated that the guys were avoiding answering her questions.

"I think it means he doesn't want to talk about it right now Thea." Sin said quietly from her place in the chair next to the other woman. "Just leave him be." Sin knew the look on Roy's face, she had seen that before on Sara's face. It meant that something had happened, but they didn't want to talk about it because it hurt too much.

Before Thea could respond the door to the room opened and the Dealer walked in, followed closely by David who was carrying a bag with him.

"Ahh, good to see that everyone is finally awake." The Dealer said with a smirk as he noticed the look of pure rage on one of the girls faces. He looked over to Oliver Queen, pleased to see that he hadn't moved and still looked weak from the sedative. He was pleased to have found something to keep the man in green under control until he was ready to have his revenge.

"Roy, how are you feeling son?" The Dealer asked as he went to stand in front of Roy. He was met with stony silence from the boy. Apparently the kid was still determined not to talk. "What's wrong boy? Don't want to talk with your father? Such a shame." He then turned to David and pulled out the contents of the bag. He turned to face Roy once again as he started to pull on the boxing gloves. He noticed the look in Roy's eyes change slightly, but still there was no fear.

"Please, don't hurt him!" Thea called from her chair. She had seen the Dealer pull out the boxing gloves and she was dreading what the man had planned next.

"Would you rather I put your brother here in his place?" The Dealer asked as he met Thea's eyes. He was met with silence. "You see, Roy has disobeyed me. I, as his father, deserve respect and obedience and he has given me neither. Therefore he must be taught a lesson."

David smiled as he stepped back to allow the Dealer room to work. He knew what the man had planned and was anxious to see how the kid would hold up to the abuse.

"You know, I've always wondered how a human body would compare to a heavy bag." The Dealer said as he stepped up to Roy and took a fighting stance. "The heavy punching bags are great for training, but they don't really prepare you for the exhilarating feeling of hitting flesh." He delivered a swift punch to Roy's side. "At least I don't have to worry about hiding bruises or scars anymore." He commented to Roy with a smile before punching him over and over again.

Oliver watched as the Dealer danced around Roy and used him as a human punching bag. Roy was doing his best to remain silent and determined, however, his control started to slip after a few minutes of taking even more abuse to his still battered body. Oliver started to hear small grunts of pain from the young man and wished with everything in him that he had been allowed to take Roy's punishment instead of having to watch.

Thea couldn't help the tears that were streaming down her face. She had been forced to sit here and watch as this criminal had used Roy as a punching bag. She could already see the new bruises forming on his torso and couldn't help but be afraid that his bruised ribs were now cracked, or even worse, broken. She had cried out, begging the man to stop at the first few hits, however, she soon realized that was pointless as she was simply ignored.

* * *

Andrew watched as his dad, yet again, beat Roy. Only this time it wasn't with a belt, it was with boxing gloves. He didn't know how he was going to be able to, but he was suddenly more determined than ever to break free of the hold that his dad held over him and help his younger brother escape. As he continued to watch his dad deliver hit after hit to Roy he realized that he was going to have to make his move sooner rather than later.

The decision to help his brother escape is what caused Andrew to go hunting again. He knew that there was another IT person out there, just slightly better than him, that was on the Arrow's Team. It was time to see if he could find them, and get them a message, before his dad came back from torturing his younger brother.

* * *

"Well, the security feeds show that it wasn't Oliver or Roy that caused the alert to be sent to my tablet." Felicity said after working at her computers for a few hours. "It shows that Oliver actually came back inside to get the new code before he and Roy left for patrol."

"Then who was it?" Diggle asked curiously.

"David Wilson." Felicity answered as she pulled up the video feed. "He tried three times, just after the code changed, and couldn't get in."

"He must have been trying to wait for them down here. When that didn't work they went to plan B." Sara commented from where she stood on the other side of Felicity.

"SCPD checked over the warehouse. There is no sign that anyone was there, however, there were pipes all over the back room that they could have pumped a gas through to knock the guys out." Lance commented from his place next to Sara. He had come right over once he heard that Oliver and Roy were missing, only to find that Thea and Sin were now missing as well.

"So now all we have to do is find a way to track them all." Diggle commented as he scrubbed his hands over his face.

"Um, guys." Felicity called, ensuring that everyone's attention was on her. "I think the IT guy for the Dealer is trying to make contact."

"Why do you say that?" Sara asked curiously.

"He's accessed Roy's files again, but this time he's not running away. It's like he wants me to find him." Felicity commented quietly as she began typing again.

"What's that?" Lance asked as he pointed to a message that had suddenly appeared on Felicity's screen.

"A message." Felicity commented before reading it out loud. "Mens et manus. Egregia cume laude."

"What does that mean?" Lance asked, not understanding the significance.

"It's Latin." Felicity answered as she spun in her chair to face the group. "It means 'Mind and Hand. With outstanding honor'. Mind and hand is MIT's motto. Whoever this guy is, he is one of the only two people that has ever graduated with the highest honors, egregia cume laude, from MIT." She explained, the awe clear in her voice.

"Who was the other person?" Sara asked, even though she was pretty sure she already knew the answer.

"Me!"

* * *

Andrew quickly signed off to where the other tech would no longer be able to find him. He had gotten his message across, had given them a clue. He hoped that they would do research from there and easily find out who he was. He would know soon enough as he had placed alerts on his DHS files. He would know as soon as they found him.


	38. The Meet

The Dealer stood, dripping with sweat, in front of Roy as he removed the boxing gloves. He had gotten quite a workout in, and was quite pleased with how his work looked in the bruising forming on the young man's flesh. To describe how it felt to not have to worry about keeping the abuse hidden would be impossible. It gave him so much more freedom in what he did and the feeling was exhilarating.

Oliver sat, completely unable to help his Teammate in any way, and tried to pull free of his restraints yet again. He had been trying, the whole time that the Dealer was using Roy as a human punching bag, to get free of his shackles. However, due to the sedative, his body was not cooperating at all. He could see that his sister was not taking watching Roy being beaten very well. Tears were streaming down her face and she had pulled at her restraints until she ran out of energy, yelling at the Dealer the entire time. Oliver knew that she would have rope burns on her wrists from her attempts to get free. He also noticed that Sin was taking things a bit better than his sister was and he wondered what the younger woman had seen in her lifetime to allow her to remain somewhat calm while watching one of her friends being beaten in such a way.

David handed the Dealer a towel to wipe the sweat from his face. He had thoroughly enjoyed watching the young archer get what was coming to him and he couldn't wait until it was his turn. Unfortunately that wouldn't be for a couple of hours.

"Sir, it's time to go pick up our shipment." David informed the other man. "We don't want to keep them waiting."

"Very well." The Dealer responded, keeping his eyes on Roy's the entire time. He could still see the pain in the boys eyes, even though his son was trying to hide it from him. "Gag the girl. I don't want her putting any ideas into his head."

"What about him?" David asked, gesturing to where Oliver sat, as he put a gag in Thea's mouth.

"He isn't a threat." The Dealer answered with a smirk. "Nothing he says can save the boy now."

At that both David and the Dealer left the room to go pick up a shipment of weapons.

* * *

Andrew sat at his computer pretending to search for the Arrow's tech support. He had been watching closely as his dad had abused Roy and knew that he was running out of time. He had been in awe of his brother, keeping silent as much as he was, as he took the beating. He knew that Roy had to be in an incredible amount of pain from everything and Andrew knew that Roy's determination and stamina had to be a direct result of his training with the Arrow.

Andrew looked up as David and his dad walked in. His dad had a smug, satisfied look on his face, like the beating he had just dealt Roy had given him a good deal of satisfaction.

"Why are the girls in there?" Andrew went out on a limb and asked nonchalantly. "What use are they?"

"They are here to witness what happens when someone, even blood, crosses me." The Dealer answered as he pulled on a fresh shirt. "They are also here to be used as leverage if your brother doesn't give me the required information in our next session." He turned and grabbed his jacket before walking towards the door. "We should be back within the hour. I want that tech found before I get back, or there will be repercussions!"

"Yes sir. I'm almost there." Andrew replied, being careful to keep his voice even. He watched as the men walked out the door, leaving him in the building with the prisoners and only a hand full of guards.

Once Andrew was sure that his dad and David were indeed gone he turned back to his computers. He set the video feed from the cell on a loop. This would allow him the needed time to get in and out, and his dad would never have to know as the video that would record will not even show he was there.

* * *

Roy hung with his chin on his chest as he tried desperately to catch his breath. He felt like his chest was on fire from the most recent beating from his dad. He also knew that it wasn't over, and that it was only going to get worse from here on out. He focused on his training but had to use all his energy to simply even out his breath using the breathing technique that Oliver had taught him. He knew everyone would be worried, but he wouldn't be able to answer their questions if he couldn't breathe. Finally, after a few minutes he lifted his head and looked around.

The first thing that Roy noticed when he looked up was that Thea now had a gag in her mouth, keeping her from speaking to anyone. She was looking at him, clearly worried, and he attempted to give her a small smile to let her know that he was going to be okay.

"Roy?" Oliver asked quietly, allowing the concern to be heard in his voice.

"I'm fine." Roy answered, ignoring the pointed look from Thea.

"Yeah, we all know your definition of fine." Sin commented sarcastically. "You guys use that word even when you're half dead."

Roy couldn't help the small laugh that escaped, however, it caused him to start coughing which simply made his ribs flare up in pain yet again. He was still coughing when the door opened and a young man walked in.

Andrew paused just the outside of the cell door and listened. His heart ached for the pain that he heard in Roy's voice. He was also grateful when he heard the sound of concern in the Arrow's voice.  _At least he has someone who cares about him_. He thought as he took a deep breath. It was time to meet his younger brother. He slowly pushed the door open, stepped in, and closed it silently behind him. His eyes immediately found Roy hanging in the middle of the room and he stood in place for a long moment, simply taking in the sight of this man that was his brother, in front of him in flesh and blood.

Oliver turned at the sound of the door opening and he watched as a young man entered, shut the door behind him, and turned. The young man now stood, eyes riveted on Roy, completely ignoring everyone else in the room. As Oliver looked closer he felt like he recognized the young man. He glanced briefly at Roy, who was still gaining control after the coughing fit, then back to the man and it hit him. These two men were most definitely related!

Roy had finally managed to stop the coughing that has wracked his body. He knew that someone had entered the room, but he had yet to open his eyes to see who it was. Finally, he took one last steadying breath, trying to prepare for whatever would come next, and he slowly raised his head. He immediately found the young man that had entered the room and now stood motionless just inside the door. The sight of the man almost made Roy breathless and he found his eyes solely focused on the man.

Andrew watched Roy carefully as his brother seemed to be trying desperately to get his breathing under control after the coughing fit that he had just endured. He knew that the coughing had to be causing his injuries to flare up again and he found himself wishing that he could have done something, anything, to keep this from happening. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Roy opened his eyes and looked at him.

Oliver watched as Roy and the young man's eyes met. Both men were staring at each other, not even blinking, like they were seeing their doppelganger. Oliver cleared his throat before asking the question that had been on his mind since the young man entered the room.

"Who are you?"

"Andrew. Andrew Jamison." Andrew answered, finally tearing his eyes away from Roy for just a moment to look at Oliver Queen, the Arrow.

"He wasn't asking for your name, smart-ass." Sin commented from across the room. "He wants to know what you're doing here!"

Andrew could see the questioning look in Oliver's eyes. The man could obviously see the family resemblance that he and Roy shared. He took another steadying breath before turning back to Roy.

"I'm Roy's older brother." Andrew answered, just loud enough for Roy to hear him.

 _My brother? I don't have a brother_. Roy thought as his eyes met Andrew's yet again.

"You're lying!" Roy said accusingly to Andrew.

"I'm not lying Roy." Andrew explained as he took slow steps towards the younger man. "I only just found out when dad pulled your hood back. He never said a word about you to me."

"If you're my brother why do you have a different last name, and why have I never met you?" Roy asked, trying to understand what was going on.

"It's a really long story Roy. One that I will tell you, later." Andrew answered as he came to stand directly in front of Roy. "But right now we need to find a way to get you guys out of here."

"How? How can you help get us out of here?" Roy asked, not liking the fact that Andrew was withholding information from him. "How did you get here in the first place?"

"I'm working for dad..."

"The Dealer." Roy interrupted. He was doing his best to keep the man separated from the memories, just as Oliver had told him to do. "Why are you working for him?"

"He's threatened people I care about if I don't work for him." Andrew explained, not missing the look of contempt in Roy's eyes. "I'm his tech support. It's been my job to help find you and your Team." Andrew said, knowing that this admission could be what causes Roy to hate him for the rest of his life. His brother surprised him with his next words.

"If you're supposed to be helping track down Team Arrow, then why are you helping us?" Roy asked. He was desperately trying to keep his breathing slow and steady but it was extremely difficult. Especially as he was just now learning that he had a brother.

"I can't stand watching him do this to you!" Andrew exclaimed. "If I had known about you, what he  _did_  to you, then I would have found you a  _long_  time ago. I would have been there for you. But, I can't change the past. All I can do is change the future, and that is what I intend to do! I will  _not_  stand by and watch him torture you to death in front of me!"

Oliver watched the exchange between the two brothers in front of him. He knew that this was a great shock to Roy, he could see it in his protégé's face. However, he also knew that, if Andrew was telling the truth, then they just found their first ray of hope for escape.

"So what do you plan on doing about it?" Oliver asked quietly. He hated to interrupt the exchange between the brothers, but he also knew that they were short on time.

"Da... The Dealer and David are gone picking up a weapons delivery. I don't know how long we have until they get back." Andrew explained as he looked between Oliver and Roy. "I've searched for the key to the restraints but I think he's carrying it on him so we'll have to find another way to get you out of them. I'm also working on getting information to your Team so they can come get you."

"Roy and I both know how to pick locks. We just need something we can use, like a bobby pin." Oliver told Andrew. "Can you find something like that and get it to us?"

"Hey! Thea's got some in her hair!" Sin commented from across the room. "Use one of hers."

Thea nodded her head in agreement. She hated that the Dealer had gagged her, but after the insults she screamed at him last time he was in the room she wasn't really that surprised.

"They're giving me a sedative, it affects my muscles. I won't be any good in helping us get out if we can't flush it from my system." Oliver commented, moving on to the next order of business.

"I can fix that." Andrew said as he moved over to kneel behind Oliver's chair. "I'm going to put a small cut in the line, just enough to bleed out the sedative. That way you can keep the breathing tube until it's time to get out of here, and they won't suspect anything until then."

Andrew quickly sliced a small cut into the line delivering the sedative to Oliver. It was small enough that they would have to look extremely closely to find it, and yet big enough that Oliver would be getting the needed fresh air.

"Now all I have to do is figure out a way to get Roy free." Andrew commented as he stood. Suddenly his phone beeped in his pocket. He pulled it out quickly to find an alert.

"I have to go." Andrew said quickly as he turned to look at Roy. "The Dealer and David are on their way back, and your tech has just made contact again."

"Did the Dealer find our GPS trackers?" Roy asked curiously.

"No, but we suspected that you would have them. We jammed the signal. I can turn it off, but I won't until we have everything in place." Andrew walked up to Roy one more time and looked him in the eye. "I am so sorry I wasn't there for you before brother. But I can promise you this. I will be back, and I will get you out of here! If it's the last thing I do!"

With that Andrew quickly left the room to return to his computers. It was time to finally get all the pieces into place, and get his brother and his Team out of his dad's hands - once and for all.


	39. Interrogation

Felicity had been working furiously for several minutes before she finally paused to take a breath.

"Found him!" Felicity commented, relieved. The Team gathered around Felicity and her computers to see what information she had found. "Andrew Jamison. Graduated with the highest honor from MIT. Only the second person to do so I might add. He was born in Gotham City and taken into the foster system at the age of three because of abuse. He was adopted at the age of ten by the Jamison's. He has no criminal record, not even a speeding ticket."

"What is he doing with the Dealer then?" Lance asked curiously.

"Do we know who his birth parents are?" Sara asked.

"Those files are sealed so it's going to take me... two minutes." Felicity answered as she hacked into the Gotham City records. It only took her a minute and a half to find the answer that she was looking for. "No way!" She exclaimed in surprise.

"What did you find?" Diggle asked.

"His dad is the Dealer!" Felicity answered as she spun in her chair to face to group, eyes wide.

The group in the lair stood in shocked silence for a full minute, digesting the information that Felicity had just found. After a minute Felicity spun back around to face her computers as an alert sounded.

"He's contacting me again." Felicity stated simply as she began to type. The Team watched over her shoulder as a messenger window popped up and they began to talk.

 **Andrew** \- I assume you figured out who I am.

 **Felicity** \- Yes.

 **Andrew** \- I can help your Team escape, but I need something from you first.

 **Felicity** \- How do I know I can trust you?

 **Andrew** \- You don't. But you do know that I am Roy Harper's older brother and I am going to do  _anything_ it takes to get him out of here. Now are you going to help me or not?

 **Felicity** \- What do you need?

 **Andrew**  - My family in Gotham City is being threatened. I need you to ensure their safety.

"I'll call Commissioner Gordon. He knows someone who can take care of it." Lance commented as he turned to make the call.

 **Felicity**  - Done. Now what?

 **Andrew**  - I'll unscramble the GPS signal. Come get them, and bring backup.

 **Felicity**  - Thank you!

 **Andrew**  - Hurry! There isn't much time left!

"He's gone." Felicity commented as she looked back up to her Team.

"So now what?" Sara asked. It was obvious to all that she was ready to go get the rest of the Team back.

"Now we wait for the GPS signal to come back on." Felicity commented as she turned back to her screen. "In the meantime, can you please go let Anatoli in. It seems he's back and wants to talk." Felicity told the Team as she glanced at the surveillance cameras in the club.

"I got it." Diggle commented before heading back up the stairs to let the man in.

"I have met with your Dealer." Anatoli told the group as he reached the bottom of the stairs. "I know where his base of operations is located. However, I do not know if that is where he is holding the rest of your Team."

"We should know soon. If Andrew actually follows through and unscrambles the GPS signals." Felicity said wearily as she stared at a map on her computer screen, willing the little red dots to appear to tell them where Oliver, Roy, Thea, and Sin were.

* * *

Andrew closed down the messenger that he was using to talk with the Arrow's Team before quickly turning off the scrambler, allowing Roy's team to be able to find them. His dad had come back, demanding to know if he had found the Arrow's IT person. He had simply told the man that he would have them within the hour. He hoped that was enough time to finish what he needed to do. He had just signed off when he looked back to the surveillance screen. The sight before him caused his heart to drop.

* * *

The Dealer and David entered the room where he was holding the prisoners. It was time he finally got answers as to who the rest of the Team was, and he knew just the way to get the answers that he needed.

"I hope you all are enjoying your stay with us." The Dealer said as he walked into the room, followed closely by David who closed the door behind them.

"Eat dirt you twisted son of a..." Sin spat at the man, earning her a slap to the face, effectively ending her insults.

"I would refrain from insults if I were you young lady." The Dealer sneered. He then stood and walked to stand in front of Oliver. "Mr. Queen, I am curious. How did you escape the attentions of Billy Wintergreen and his sword...alive?"

Oliver paused for a moment before answering, choosing his words carefully as he knew that what he said now could give Roy the encouragement and advice needed to get through whatever else the Dealer had planned for him.

"I was protecting someone. Someone that had saved my life, taught me to survive, showed me that I could be more than I thought I was." Oliver explained, not missing the fact that Roy was watching him closely. "Billy Wintergreen was trying to extract information on where my friend was. I was simply more determined not to turn my friend in to our enemies than my captors were aware of."

"Interesting." The Dealer commented to himself. "Well, you don't have to worry, you won't be getting the blade this time."

At the words from the Dealer Oliver watched as David reached to his side and pulled out a blade much like the one that Billy Wintergreen had used on him all those years ago. The Dealer had said that he wouldn't be getting the blade, which could only mean that Roy would be. He looked quickly to his young Teammate. In the brief moment that their eyes connected Oliver could see that he and Roy had come to the same conclusion. Roy gave a tiny nod of his head, communicating to Oliver that he was willing to take whatever David did, if it meant keeping the rest of the Team safe. Oliver gave a small nod back to let Roy know that he had heard him, loud and clear.

"I am going to ask a question, if someone answers then I will keep David from hurting young Roy here." The Dealer explained to everyone in the room. "However, if I do not like the answer, or there is no answer at all, then David will put his training with Billy Wintergreen and his brother Slade to good use." He looked to each person in the room, ensuring that they understood that he was serious.

Roy looked to Oliver and tried to let him know that he was strong, he could take this, and he knew that the Team was coming for them and would get them out. He then looked to Sin and could see the concern in her eyes. Sin knew the importance of keeping a secret, and she gave him a small nod to let him know that she would keep silent, no matter what happened next. Lastly Roy looked to Thea. He could see the fear, the worry, and the pure rage in her eyes. They had yet to remove her gag and he hoped that they wouldn't. He was afraid that if anyone talked it would be her as she tried to keep him from being hurt. He tried to communicate to her that he loved her, and that she shouldn't worry about him, he could handle this.

Finally, Roy looked to meet the eyes of the Dealer. He knew the man was serious about what he had threatened. He could see from the gleam in the man's eyes that the Dealer was hoping to inflict more pain. He swallowed and took as deep a breath as he could, preparing himself for what would come next.

"I want to know how many people are on your Team." The Dealer started with a simple question. "Who wishes to enlighten me?" He asked as he looked to each person in the room, not missing the look of pure rage on just about everyone's face. "Anyone?" When he received silence in return he turned and nodded to David.

Oliver held his breath as David walked up to Roy. He could still remember the pure terror that he had felt when Billy Wintergreen had walked up to him on Lian Yu, brandishing a blade much like the one that David was holding. He could still feel the searing pain in his chest from the cuts that were inflicted, and he still had the scars to remind him of that encounter every day. He simply hoped that Roy was as strong as he thought he was and would be able to bear the pain.

Roy watched as David walked towards him and he realized that his breathing and heart rate were speeding up considerably. He caught Oliver's look out of the corner of his eye and he remembered back to when they were talking just after he had had that first fight with the Dealer.  _Slow breaths._  Oliver had told him.  _Anytime you're hurt just focus on your breathing. It will help you disconnect from the pain and calm you._

Roy locked eyes with David who was lifting his hand with the blade in it. He kept his gaze intent on the other man while focusing all his energy towards slowing his breathing down again, concentrating solely on that and drowning out everything else. He gritted his teeth as the blade made initial contact with his flesh. He felt searing hot pain flare across his chest where the blade had made contact and was now cutting a gash into his skin. He wasn't able to keep a loud groan from escaping, however, he was able to keep from screaming out in pain.

"Let's try this again." The Dealer paced across the room, hands together and fingers touching his chin. "What are the names of the people on your Team?"

David kept his eyes trained on the young man before him. He was hoping that no one would answer, he was enjoying this too much.

"Oh come on. That's an easy question!" The Dealer raised his voice as he looked around the room. "I already know about the Arrow, the Arsenal, and the Black Canary. Someone enlighten me on who else is on the Team."

Oliver watched as Sin bit down on her lip to keep from saying anything. He was proud of her for keeping calm despite what was happening. His sister, however, was in tears again as she stared at Roy. He knew that she would have a lot to work through once they got out of this. His gaze then turned to Roy. He could see the determination in his eyes, but as the Dealer asked another question he saw a glint of amusement as well. He held his breath as Roy started to speak.

"What makes you think there are more than the three of us on the Team?" Roy asked, trying to find a way to keep his mind off of the pain.

"I know that there are more than three of you because I was watching your Team the night of the concert." The Dealer said as he turned to face Roy once again. "Tell me, son. Who is the sniper?"

Oliver watched as a wicked grin spread across Roy's face and he could only hope that Roy was thinking carefully before speaking.

"Oh! You mean Overwatch?" Roy asked. An idea had come to him and he hoped that this would delay the Dealer just long enough to give Andrew the time that he needed to get Team Arrow here.

"So that is what you are calling him? What is his name? Who is the Black Canary?" The Dealer asked, getting right up in Roy's face.

"You wanna know who they are? Why don't you ask them yourself when they come to turn your ass in to the cops!" Roy spat at the Dealer. From the look on the man's face Roy was pretty sure that he should have kept that last comment to himself, however, it was a golden opportunity that he didn't want to pass up.

The Dealer couldn't believe the gall of the boy before him.  _His arrogance is going to be the end of him_. He thought as he turned and nodded to David again.

Thea watched, terrified, as David raised his blade once again and plunged it into Roy. She screamed through the gag, wishing that there was something, anything, that she could do to stop this torture. Her heart broke as Roy screamed out in pain.

Oliver watched as Roy tried with all his might to keep silent when the blade plunged between his ribs. He could clearly remember the pain that accompanied being stabbed in such a way and he was honestly not surprised that Roy had been unable to keep silent. He knew that Andrew would have to get Team Arrow here, quickly. He wasn't sure how much more abuse Roy's body could take.

"Let's try another question." The Dealer commented as he turned back to pacing the room. He was beyond pleased at the scream of pain that had come from Roy. "Who is your IT person?"

"You mean the Oracle?" Roy asked once he had a chance to catch his breath again. The Dealer spun to look at him and the surprise on his face was almost comical to Roy.

"You work with the Oracle? Batman's Oracle?" The Dealer asked. He had not seen that twist coming and the thought really surprised him. He didn't know the two vigilantes talked.

"Who else?" Roy commented, keeping up the ruse. He wasn't sure what the Dealer was talking about now, but he didn't care.

"How many are on your Team?" The Dealer asked once more.

"More than you will ever know." Roy taunted the Dealer. He could see the frustration finally winning out and he hoped that the men would give up soon. His hopes were dashed as once again David raised his sword towards him.

Oliver watched as David carved four more deep gashes into Roy's body. Roy did his best to keep silent, however, he was unable to keep a small scream of pain from escaping as the blade traveled across his torso. He breathed a sigh of relief when finally the man lowered his blade to his side and the Dealer and David walked towards the door.

"You may not have told me anything yet." The Dealer said as David stepped out of the room. "But you will soon."

Everyone watched as the Dealer walked out, leaving the door slightly ajar. Moments later David walked in again and placed several things next to the door, one of the items being a long coil of wire.

"Next time we'll see if you can hold up against an electric current." David grinned before leaving the room, closing the door firmly behind him.

* * *

Andrew had watched as his dad had tortured Roy for information. He was in awe of the way that Roy had stood up to his dad, the way he had let hardly a sound escape as his flesh was sliced open. As David deposited the items in the room Andrew knew, he was out of time. He stood and walked away from his computer, hoping that the Arrow's team would make it there in time.

 


	40. Escape

Felicity stared intently at the computer screen in front of her. It had been less than two minutes since she had signed off with Andrew and she was already starting to get impatient. The Team around her had immediately started preparations for the rescue mission that would hopefully start soon. Diggle and Sara each quickly changed into their suits and ensured that their weapons were ready to go. Diggle was now talking with Anatoli about his meet with the Dealer as he loaded and readied his weapons and Sara was going over the medical supplies once again.

"We met in a parking lot across from an old warehouse." Anatoli was telling Diggle. "Once the meeting was completed I followed him. He simply went to the warehouse and disappeared inside."

"Maybe that's where they're keeping Oliver and Roy." Diggle though out loud. He turned to see Felicity staring at the map on her computer screen. He walked over and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Felicity, take a deep breath."

Felicity almost jumped when Diggle placed his hand on her shoulder. Usually it was Oliver doing that. She turned her head to look at him and she could see the concern in his eyes. He told her to take a deep breath and she did, albeit a shaky one. She offered him a small smile which he returned with an encouraging one.

"Anatoli said he thinks the Dealer is based at this warehouse. Can you bring up the schematics?" Diggle asked. If this is where Oliver and Roy were then they needed to know everything that they could about the building.

Felicity quickly pulled up the plans for the building in question and Anatoli, Diggle, and Sara started going over them carefully. It was while they were in the middle of looking over the plans that the door at the top of the stairs opened and two Assassins entered.

"Nyssa!" Sara exclaimed, pleased to see the woman back. She went to greet Nyssa and the Assassin that was with her before quickly explaining what was happening. Nyssa offered the assistance of herself and the other Assassin.

"Got them!" Felicity cried triumphantly from her computer. "They  _are_  in that warehouse!" She exclaimed as she spun to look at everyone in the lair.

"Let's go get them back!" Diggle commented before the Team left to bring home their own.

"Be safe." Felicity whispered as the door to the lair closed behind the group. She took a moment of her own to take in a deep, steadying breath before turning back to her computers and addressing the Team. "Okay guys. Let's do this.

* * *

"Oliver?" Roy called out for his mentor, his eyes closed in pain.

"Yeah Roy, I'm right here." Oliver answered softly. He could tell from the sound of Roy's voice, as well as his own memories of the same torture, that his Teammate was in an intense amount of pain. He wished with all his might that he could simply break free of his bonds and get them all out of here. Unfortunately the thick metal clasps keeping him pinned to the chair were too strong to simply break through.

"I don't think I can do this much longer." Roy admitted to his mentor. "I'm trying, I just don't know..."

"Roy, you are doing amazing! You are a very strong, determined, confident young man." Oliver spoke with conviction, needing Roy to know that he wasn't disappointed in Roy and what he had done. He was proud! "I don't know any other person that could endure what you have in the last week as well as you have."

"You can." Roy stated simply. "You survived an Island of hell for five years. This doesn't even compare to that."

"Yes, I survived Lian Yu. But it wasn't easy. There were many times when I just wanted to give up. What was the point?" Oliver explained, deciding to be vulnerable with Roy for just this moment. "But then I realized that I had to keep fighting because I had people here that cared about me. Getting back home,  _that_  is what kept me going. You just need to find your reason to go on."

Roy listened to what Oliver was saying, but he wasn't sure he was that strong. He sure didn't feel strong right now. Right now he felt like he was going to pass out from the pain and never wake up again. Just as Oliver stopped speaking the door opened again and Roy tensed.

"Roy!" Andrew could see how much pain his brother was in simply by the look on his face. But, he saw something else as well, defeat. "Roy, we're getting you out of here. Your Team is on the way."

"Why bother? He's just going to come back in here and start killing us!" Roy said angrily.

Oliver knew that the pain Roy was experiencing was messing up his judgement. However, before he could say anything Andrew spoke.

"So that's it? You're just going to tap out and be done with it? What about Oliver? Or  _Thea_ , the woman you supposedly love? Or Sin, your friend. You just going to let them watch as you give up, ready to die? You do that and  _he_  wins, like he always does, and I for one am not willing to just give up and let him win again." Andrew spoke passionately to his brother. "Please, don't give up. Not just for Oliver and Thea and your Team, but for  _me_. Give me a chance to get to know the brother that I never even knew I had." Andrew pleaded. He knew they were almost out of time. He played the last card he had in his deck.

"Roy, do you remember what he did to you? As a little kid? The beating, the verbal abuse,  _everything_." He paused for a moment to allow his words to sink in. "Now, imagine what he would do to your friends if you're not around to protect them. Roy, imagine what he would do to Thea!  _Think_  about it!"

Everyone in the room could tell the moment that Andrew had broken through to Roy and his determination returned.

"How do we get me out of these chains?" Roy asked as he looked between Oliver and Andrew. "Does anyone have any ideas?"

"Oliver, you've been through a lot, seen a lot. Have you ever experienced being bound like that?" Andrew asked as he went to take the gag off of Thea and start to free the girls.

"Yes, twice." Oliver answered. "Roy, there is only one way I can think of to get you free without the key, but it's going to hurt."

"I don't care. What is it?" Roy asked, feeling the rush of adrenaline.

"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link." Oliver explained. "You put enough pressure on that weak link and you can be free of the chains."

"Okay, how?"

"The best way is to pull yourself into an inverted position. Then pull yourself up the chain as far as you can. Once you reach the top you let go and allow the weight of your body falling to put pressure on the chain. It  _should_  snap and you will be free." Oliver explained.

"So you're saying that even if I do that, it might not even work?" Roy asked looking at the chains above him.

"Unfortunately it's not a guarantee." Oliver answered.

"Roy?" Thea asked, her voice hoarse from the gag and her constant screaming.

"Don't worry Thea, I'm going to get you out of here!" Roy told her as he looked in her eyes. "I  _love_  you!"

With that Roy grabbed onto the chains and slowly pulled his feet over his head. He then slowly walked his hands up the chain, groaning loudly from the effort and the pain. Finally, he could climb no further. "Here goes nothing." He muttered as he closed his eyes and let go.

Everyone in the room watched as Roy let go of the chain and he fell to the floor. There was the sound of a snapping chain and a loud cry from Roy as his body made impact with the floor. Thea watched, frozen for a moment, as Roy rolled onto his back, clearly in even more pain, before she snapped out of it and ran to his side.

"Roy?" Thea asked, very concerned.

"I'll be fine... just need a second." Roy gasped between breaths. He allowed himself only a moment to gather himself together before he opened his eyes.

Andrew moved quickly to Roy's side once he had freed Sin. He reached down and placed a hand behind Roy's head and helped pull him to a sitting position.

"Thea, we need a bobby pin." Andrew said softly as he kept a hand on Roy's back to steady him as he sat and caught his breath.

Thea quickly pulled a pin free and handed it to Roy who then quickly went to work on unlocking the shackles on his wrist, attempting to ignore the pain in his body at every movement.

Oliver watched, helpless, as his Teammate worked to unlock his shackles. He knew that they were all helpless at the moment, and would remain that way until Roy could free himself. He breathed a deep sigh of relief when finally the shackles fell open and onto the floor. Roy was _finally_  free.

Roy allowed himself a moment of relief once he had unlocked the shackles around his wrists. They were finally making progress on their escape and if Andrew was right, which he suspected he was, then their Team would be here soon. He just hoped the Dealer didn't walk through that door before he got Oliver free.

At the thought of Oliver Roy slowly stood and made his way over to where his mentor was sitting worked quickly to unlock Oliver's shackles as well. It was just as Roy managed to get the first shackle open that the door opened and the Dealer walked through once again. Oliver quickly took the bobby pin that they were using and went to work on the shackle on his other wrist.

"Protect Thea." Oliver growled as he worked to free himself the rest of the way. He could already see Andrew pulling Thea and Sin around behind him and he hoped that Roy would be able to hold the man off long enough for him to get out of this stupid chair.

"What is going on here?" The Dealer asked as he entered the room where he was keeping his prisoners. He noticed that the girls were free, Roy was out of his chains, Oliver was picking the locks on his restraints, and Andrew was cowering in the corner with the girls.

"I don't recall saying you could be released." The Dealer growled as he took a couple of steps into the room.

Roy stood from where he had been kneeling after unlocking one of Oliver's restraints, and took a couple of steps towards the Dealer, putting himself between his psychotic dad and the people that were closest to him.

"I don't recall asking." Roy answered the Dealer's statement.

"I don't know why you're protecting him boy." The Dealer told his son. "It's not like he's going to stay around long."

"You're  _wrong_." Roy argued.

"Am I? Tell me, who in your life has stuck around?" The Dealer asked animatedly. "I left because you were incapable of being the kind of son I  _deserved_. You're the reason your mother ended her own life. She couldn't  _stand_  to put up with you anymore. What makes you think that the Arrow, Oliver Queen, is going to stick around if you pushed away your own  _family_?" The Dealer paused for a moment to let his words sink in. He could see the battle that was waging in his sons eyes.

"You think you're part of his Team?" The Dealer's voice grew steadily louder as he talked. "That you could be a part of his  _family_? You're just another weapon in his arsenal and as soon as you're no longer of any use to him he is going to abandon you! Do you really think he's going to forgive you after you've screw up and put his life, the life of his sister, in danger? I don't think so."

Oliver finally freed his second hand and quickly got to work on the shackles on his feet. He was hearing everything that the Dealer was saying. He could see the toll it was taking on Roy emotionally. He simply hoped that Roy would know his place on Team Arrow, and in the lives of Sin and Thea.

"You're  _wrong_." Roy spat back at him. "He would never abandon me. He's not like you. He's good, and honest, and caring. He protects this city like you  _never_  would. He has saved my life and now trains me, teaches me, listens to me. He is the Father that you  _never_  were." Roy's voice got louder with each word that he spoke until he was yelling at his dad. He took as deep a breath as he could to calm himself before continuing. "Oliver is my Teammate, my friend, and my mentor. He is the hero of this city! I am not just another weapon in his arsenal. I  _am_ the Arsenal!" Roy said as he stared at his dad defiantly.

"You will  _not_  talk to your father in that tone of voice boy!" The Dealer roared as he advanced on Roy, throwing the first punch.

Roy ducked away from the Dealers punch by moving to the side and throwing a punch that landed in the Dealer's side. The man roared as he turned on Roy once again and the two engaged in battle.

Oliver was proud of Roy. Not only for standing up to the Dealer, but for seeing his importance to the Team, to him. He breathed a sigh of relief as he finally freed himself from the last of his shackles just as Roy and the Dealer engaged in battle. He would gladly have helped if David Wilson hadn't walked through the door at just that moment. As David stepped to intervene in the fight between Roy and the Dealer Oliver hurled himself at him and engaged David instead.

Andrew watched as Roy and his dad started to fight. It was clear that his dad was stronger, but, even injured, it seemed as though Roy was faster. He didn't know how his younger brother was managing it but he was actually winning the fight. He simply hoped that Roy wouldn't end up with even more injuries. As the men battled in the room in front of him Andrew started to hear other sounds of battle from outside the door. As much as he wanted to get the girls out of here he had a feeling that they were actually safer in here than outside that door.

Roy received another kick to his side and he cried out in pain as he sank to his knees. The Dealer then punched his jaw, throwing him to the ground.

"You should have known that you can't beat me boy." The Dealer snarled as he took a moment to catch his breath, revelling in the fact that Roy was hunched over on the ground, clearly in more pain. He looked over to where his older son was now standing. "Andrew, I thought we had an agreement. You were to work for me, no questions asked, no digging into my story, and in exchange I  _wouldn't_  execute your family in Gotham City." He pulled the weapon that was in an ankle holster and pointed it at Andrew, ready to be rid of the poor excuses he had for sons. "Unfortunately for you, and them, all of you have lived your last day."

Roy saw the Dealer draw his weapon and knew what was going to happen next, and he could not allow it to happen. He quickly pulled himself off of the floor and rushed to put himself between the Dealer's weapon and his brother.

Andrew watched as his dad pointed a gun at him, as Roy stood and started to run, but then he heard the gun go off. He blinked, not realizing for a moment what had happened. When he finally opened his eyes he saw his brother on the ground in front of him, clutching his side, and he knew that Roy had just taken a bullet for him. He knelt down beside his brother and grabbed his hand.

"Roy?" Andrew asked, chocking back a sob.

"I'm fine. Help me up!" Roy answered breathlessly.

Andrew wasn't sure how Roy was still conscious, much less how he was going to stand. However, he moved to help him up when Roy pulled on his arm for leverage to stand.

"You're even more stupid than I thought." The Dealer commented as he watched his sons. He couldn't believe that Roy was still moving after all the torture he had put the younger man through, not to mention the new bullet wound.

Roy clenched his jaw as Andrew helped him stand. He could feel another burst of adrenaline coursing through him and he knew that it was time to end this, once and for all. It was up to him. Oliver couldn't help, he was still battling David, and winning if he was seeing correctly. He had to end this. It had to be  _him_.

"What are you going to do now boy?" The Dealer snarled, lowering his gun in curiosity of what this boy was going to do.

"I am going to end you!" Roy stated, remarkably devoid of all emotion.

"I think not. I still have leverage." The Dealer countered as he raised his gun towards Thea Queen, the woman he knew his son was in love with. "I can still kill her."

"No." Roy stated flatly. "You've taken your last life."

At that comment Roy lunged at the Dealer, catching him by surprise with his sudden burst of energy. Roy managed to knock the gun out of his hand and they landed hard on the ground. They traded punches for a moment before Roy managed to finally get behind his opponent and pulled him into a sleeper hold.

"You think you've stopped me?" The Dealer asked with a smirk. "I can still kill her, all I have to do is throw this knife." He told his son as he lifted the knife that he had had hidden in a second ankle sheath.

That was all it took. Roy didn't have an extra hand to grab the knife, there was only one thing he could do, he tightened his hold on the Dealer's neck. He knew that he had to end this before the man could harm anyone else. The only problem was, it was taking too long. As the Dealer raised his arm Roy realized that there was only one thing that would keep this man from killing people that he loved. He quickly shifted his hold and in one quick motion, just like Oliver had showed him, he twisted. He heard the very audible snap just before the Dealer fell limp in his arms.

David finally thought he was winning against the Arrow. He had managed to get in several good hits and almost had the man. He noticed out of the corner of his eye the Dealer's gun lying on the ground not too far from him and he made a rush to grab it. He was too slow though as suddenly the Arrow rushed past him and grabbed the gun.

Roy slid back from where the Dealer now lay dead on the ground. Thea, Sin, and Andrew were looking at him in shock, he could tell, but he was unable to say anything at the moment. He shifted back a couple of feet before falling over, the pain finally taking over. His head rolled to his right and he could see David and Oliver still engaged in a fight. He was aware that David moved towards the Dealer's gun. He saw that Oliver was faster though and he beat the other man to it. He watched, confused, as Oliver rolled past the gun, picking it up in the process, and came to a stop in a kneeling position just a couple of feet from him. As soon as Oliver came up from his roll he raised the gun and fired a shot, hitting David directly in the head, and the other man fell to the ground, dead.

As soon as David hit the ground there was a commotion at the door to the room that they had been held captive in. Oliver looked up to see Diggle and Sara entering, followed closely by Anatoli and two League members. He only paused for half a second, making eye contact with Diggle to let his partner know that he was okay, before turning to Roy who was down not far from him. He saw the confused look on the younger man's face and he cracked a smile.

"I never said I didn't know  _how_  to use a gun." Oliver stated simply before moving to his Teammate's side.

"Thea?" Roy asked, needing to know that his girlfriend was safe.

"She's fine Roy." Oliver said encouragingly as he knelt down to asses Roy's injuries. Diggle quickly joined him and they did a once over to assess the damage to Roy's body.

"You're safe now kid." Diggle commented as he helped Oliver look Roy over. "We're taking you home."

Roy finally relaxed. He was in pain, an incredible, overwhelming, all consuming amount of pain. But, he knew that he was going to be fine. He was in good hands.

"Felicity." Diggle spoke into his comms unit.

"Here." Felicity immediately responded.

"We have them, they're safe." Diggle updated her.

"Oh good!" Felicity cried in relief.

"Not all good. Roy's injured pretty bad. He's going to need surgery ASAP." Diggle informed her.

"We can't take him to a hospital. You know that." Felicity said worriedly, afraid for their young Teammate.

"Then I guess you're just going to have to find a doctor that can treat him!" Diggle stated.

"Um... okay." Felicity paused for a moment. "I know, I'll call Caitlin. Barry can have her here in a flash."

Sara met the eyes of Oliver and Diggle and could see their concern for Roy.

"Do it Felicity! Roy doesn't have much time!"


	41. Dr. Caitlin Snow

_Roy doesn't have much time? Please tell me that doesn't mean what I think it means!_  Felicity thought as she quickly dialed her friend from Central City, Dr. Caitlin Snow.

"Felicity, Hi!" Caitlin answered cheerfully.

"Caitlin, I need your help as soon as possible." Felicity didn't waste any time in getting down to the matter at hand.

"What's wrong?" Caitlin asked, now worried.

"We found Oliver and Roy but there's a problem. Roy's been seriously injured and Diggle said he would need surgery. You're the only doctor we can trust." Felicity told her friend.

"I'll have Barry bring me right over. We'll be there in a flash." Caitlin answered. Moments later she was holding her breath as Barry carried her to Starling City as fast as he could.

"Felicity, put Caitlin on the comms as soon as she arrives." Diggle instructed as he and Oliver worked to stop the bleeding from Roy's gunshot wound. He wanted to give the doctor as much information as he could before they arrived at the lair.

"Will do, she should be here..." Felicity was startled by a sudden rush of wind and a burst of energy in the room. Suddenly Caitlin and Barry were standing before her. "Here she is, one second."

"Someone called a doctor?" Caitlin commented.

"Yes! Diggle, Caitlin's here and on speaker." Felicity said into the comms as she put everyone on speaker.

"Dr. Snow."

"Please, it's Caitlin." Caitlin answered. "What do we have Diggle?"

Diggle looked down to Roy once again and listed the known injuries to Caitlin.

"Extensive bruising to the torso. Most of his ribs are cracked, several are broken. Several lacerations to the chest. One stab wound through the ribs. One gunshot wound to the abdomen. Looks like his right shoulder is dislocated and his wrist is at least sprained." Diggle passed on the information as quickly and accurately as possible. "He's lost a lot of blood and is going into shock."

"Okay, you need to get him here as soon as possible. Try not to jar him too much though. You don't want one of his broken ribs puncturing a lung." Caitlin instructed.

"Roy!" Diggle called worriedly. The young man on the ground before him had suddenly started wheezing, clearly having trouble breathing. Diggle leaned over and placed an ear to his chest. "Caitlin, it sounds like he already has a punctured lung. He's having trouble breathing."

"Barry!" Caitlin called as she turned to her friend urgently.

"Where are they?" Barry asked Felicity, ready to go.

"Here." Felicity pointed to a spot on the map and Barry was suddenly gone in a burst of wind.

"John, Barry's coming to get him." Felicity told her Teammate through the comms.

"Where are the medical supplies Felicity?" Caitlin asked as soon as Barry had vanished. She wanted to know what she had to work with before her patient arrived.

"Over here." Felicity rose to show Caitlin where the needed supplies were. "Thank you for coming!" Felicity told her friend as she placed a hand on her arm.

"Of course!"

* * *

Diggle was trying not to panic. He was trained not to panic. But, he knew that Roy didn't have long to get to Caitlin before he risked dying. A punctured lung wasn't something to mess around with.

"Barry's coming to get him." Diggle commented to his Teammate as he met Oliver's eyes. "Caitlin will take good care of him!"

"Roy?" Thea cried as she watched Oliver and Diggle become even more worried. She could hear Roy's breathing, how it had gotten worse, and the fact that he was so pale scared her.

"He's going to be okay Thea." Sara said softly as she pulled the younger woman into a hug. "He's going to be fine."

"How do you know?" Thea sobbed into Sara's shoulder.

Suddenly a red blur appeared in the room and skidded to a stop next to Oliver, Diggle, and Roy.

"Barry." Oliver said relieved. He met the younger man's eyes and the Barry gave a slight nod.

"I'll meet you guys back at the lair." Barry said as he gently lifted the injured man into his arms before leaving the room again in a blur.

"Who was that?" Sin asked in awe once the man in red left again.

"The Flash. He's from Central City and a good friend of ours." Sara answered with a smile.

"Diggle, you have medical training correct?" Caitlin asked over the comms.

"Yes." Diggle answered quickly.

"I may need your assistance."

"We'll be back as soon as possible." Diggle answered as he turned to the group. "As much fun as it is to stand here and talk, we need to get back to the lair. I may need to assist with the surgery." Diggle told the group.

"Take my bike, it'll be faster." Sara said as she tossed Diggle the key. The man gave her a slight nod of appreciation before running out the door.

Oliver took a moment to take a deep breath and look around the room, taking in everything. The two bodies were still laying on the floor, the chains that had held Roy were now pooled next to his cut up jacket where he had left them, and there was now a pool of blood where Roy had just been laying. He walked over to the Dealer and checked for a pulse. He wanted to be sure that the man really was dead. He was still surprised that Roy had been able to kill him.

Once Oliver had checked the Dealer for a pulse he turned back around to address the group that had come to assist in their escape.

"Anatoli, my friend. Spasibo. Thank You." Oliver said with deep gratitude as he shook the man's hand.

"Of course." Anatoli responded with a firm grip on Oliver's hand. He knew what it was like to have a young protégé injured before your eyes. He offered his support to the younger man with the strength in his handshake.

Oliver gave Anatoli a small smile, knowing what the older man was silently telling him and he found he was thankful for his old mentor's support. He then turned to address the two Assassins in the room.

"Nyssa, thank you for coming." Oliver said with sincerity.

"A friend of Sara's is a friend of mine." Nyssa answered simply. She then turned to the Assassin next to her. "Sarab was also most willing."

At the mention of his name the Assassin removed his mask and pushed back his hood. He offered Oliver a small smile and was pleased to see the surprise on the younger man's face.

"Maseo?!" Oliver asked, completely taken aback at seeing his old friend. "You joined the League after..."

"Yes. I came to Nanda Parbat the same year as Taer al-Safer." Maseo answered. "I accompanied Nyssa on League business and have heard that you are to be wed."

"Yes." Oliver answered, unable to keep a smile from forming on his face.

"Oliver, we should get back." Sara commented softly, still holding a crying Thea in her arms.

"Thea." Oliver called his sister softly as he pulled her into his arms. "Roy's is going to be fine. We're leaving right now to go be with him."

Thea could only nod her head. She was so scared for Roy!

"Andrew, would you like to accompany us?" Oliver asked, turning to the other man.

"Please. I need to know he's going to live." Andrew answered honestly, stepping out of the corner he had been standing in.

"We brought a van." Sara informed Oliver as the group turned to leave, letting him know that they would all have a ride back to the lair.

Oliver was given the details of the Team's entrance to the warehouse on the way out the door. The group had taken out over thirty targets and located a large load of illegal weapons before they had found the guys. Sara put a call in to SCPD to inform them of what could be found at the warehouse as they walked. When they exited the warehouse they all climbed into the van and Sara drove quickly back to the lair.

"Where did the Flash take Roy?" Andrew asked after a moment of silence.

"To our lair." Oliver answered, not missing the look of curiosity in Andrew's eyes as he turned to watch the city roll by. "You're about to see something that not many people even know exist." Oliver told the other man.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." Andrew told Oliver as he looked the man in the eyes. He knew that they had no reason to trust him, but he hoped they would give him a chance.

Sara got the group back to the lair in record time. They arrived only five minutes after Diggle.

* * *

"How did he survive this?" Caitlin asked herself as she worked on her patient. "No human should be able to survive this kind of trauma, keep fighting, and still be breathing."

"He's stronger than he looks." Diggle commented as he continued to assist Caitlin in removing the bullet in Roy's side. He too was surprised that Roy had survived his ordeal. He was extremely proud of the man that Roy had become.

Felicity sat in her computer chair and watched as Caitlin and Diggle worked on Roy. She had been scared for the young man when she heard everything that was wrong and was extremely thankful for her two friends that were here with her. She turned and looked at Barry who was leaning up against her desk, arms crossed over his chest and hood pushed back.

"Thank you Barry." Felicity said softly. "I don't think he would have made it if it weren't for you."

"Anytime." Barry answered with a small smile. "You're worried about Oliver too." He stated simply, seeing the worry in her eyes.

"Yes. How can I not be after what they did to Roy?" Felicity answered as she looked back to the medical area.

"He's fine Felicity. Really! He's okay." Barry told her gently. "Remember, I was there, I saw him. He's only got a couple new scratches, but nothing bad at all."

"Thank you Barry." Felicity said softly, thankful that he could help ease her concern, even if only just a little.

Felicity looked up to the stairs as she heard the door open and the sound of Oliver descending down into the lair. There were others with him but she only had eyes for him. She quickly stood and ran to meet him at the bottom of the stairs. Oliver wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I'm fine Felicity." Oliver whispered as he held her close. He had missed her! They stood, wrapped in each others arms for a long minute before Oliver finally pulled away.

"Felicity, I'd like you to meet Andrew Jamison. Roy's older brother." Oliver turned to the man with a small smile. He saw the look of awe in the young man's face and was curious what was going on. "Andrew this is..."

"Felicity  _Smoak_!" Andrew said quietly, in complete awe. He could not believe that he was meeting the legend herself. " _You're_  the Arrow's IT person?"

"Yes." Felicity said with a small laugh.

"No wonder I couldn't track you." Andrew muttered to himself.

"You did come close though. I'll give you credit for  _that_." Felicity told the young man.

"I'm going to go check on Roy." Oliver told Felicity softly. He would leave the two geniuses to talk.

Oliver walked over to the table where his young Teammate lay. This was the worst that Roy had been through and Oliver hoped that the young man really would pull through.

"How is he?" Oliver asked as he watched Caitlin and Diggle finishing with Roy's bullet wound.

"He had one lung collapse, but I was able to take care of it. We've just finished with the bullet wound. I just need to put stitches in to close these cuts next." Caitlin answered wearily.

"Let me know when you're done with the stitches and I'll clean him up and take care of his shoulder and wrist for you." Oliver told his friends. "That way you guys can clean up." He saw Diggle give a small nod in recognition of his words before he turned to walk away.

"Where did everyone else go?" Felicity asked Oliver a moment later.

"Nyssa and Maseo went to check in with the rest of the League that accompanied them. They asked us to let them know once Roy is stable. Anatoli returned to his hotel but also asked for an update when we have one." Oliver explained as he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm going to go change."

Oliver made quick work of changing out of his green leather and decided that once he was able he would change Roy in to some more comfortable, clean clothes. His red leather pants had blood on them from the various wounds and he knew that they couldn't move him until he had changed. It was only a couple of minutes later that he found himself standing next to an unconscious Roy with Thea at his side.

"Is he still alive?" Thea asked her brother as she stared at her boyfriend. He still had blood on his chest from the surgery, was deathly pale, and his breathing was shallow.

"Yes Thea, he's still alive. See, his chest is still moving." Oliver said comfortingly as he put an arm around her shoulder. "Why don't you, Sin, Felicity, Caitlin, and Sara go upstairs and get something to drink."

"I want to stay here." Thea whined, not taking her eyes off of Roy.

"I know, but I still need to reset his dislocated shoulder, clean him up, and we are going to change him out of his leather pants." Oliver told her gently. "It's not much but he deserves at least a bit of privacy."

Thea just nodded her head as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"You will call me if anything changes!" Thea demanded as she turned to look at her brother.

"I promise."

At that the women all went to the club above to give the men some space. Oliver was right, it wasn't much but Roy did deserve at least a bit of privacy.

"I'm sure you are all pretty hungry." Barry commented to Oliver. "I'm going to make a run to Big Belly Burger and get us all some food."

"Thank you Barry, for everything." Diggle responded with a firm handshake. Barry just gave a shy nod of his head before disappearing yet again.

Oliver stepped up to Roy and began to clean the blood from the young man's chest, being careful not to undo any work that Caitlin and Diggle had just finished and Diggle soon stepped over and helped. After a couple of minutes they were through and Oliver gently took Roy's right hand in his, placing his left hand on the young man's shoulder. He was glad that Roy was out for this. Resetting a dislocated shoulder hurt like hell. He gently pulled and rotated Roy's arm at just the right angle and was relieved that the joint went back into place without too much trouble. Oliver then put a brace on Roy's sprained right wrist to help keep from aggravating the injury any further. After that he and Diggle worked quickly to change Roy out of his leather pants into more comfortable workout pants.

Andrew watched as Oliver and Diggle carefully cleaned up his brother. He could see that both men clearly cared for Roy and he was glad this his younger brother had found a family. He could see how hard it was on the men to see Roy like this. The concern was clear on both of their faces.

As Oliver reset Roy's shoulder Andrew could see the gentleness that the hero of Starling City was capable of. He had always thought of the man as fierce, unrelenting, powerful. The man he saw before him though was just that, a man. The man he saw before him was not only capable of putting the fear of God into criminals but he was also capable of true emotion, honesty, compassion, love. A true hero!


	42. Determination

Thea sat at the bar in Verdant and simply stared at the wall. She wasn't listening to the conversation around her, she wasn't paying attention to what the other women were doing, she was simply staring - remembering. She replayed recent events over in her mind, trying to figure out if there had been a way for her to help Roy that she hadn't realized. She had felt so useless. The only reason she was there was to torture Roy and Oliver even more because there had been nothing she could do to help.

"Thea, are you okay?" Sara asked softly as she sat on the stool next to the younger woman. She could see the play of emotions that had gone across Thea's face and wanted to make sure that she would be alright.

"No." Thea whispered, all her emotions evident in her voice. "I was only there as leverage, to get Roy to talk. The only reason they took me was because I was weak, unable to fight back, and they knew they could use that against Roy." Thea turned to look at Sara, tears threatening to spill out. "I don't want to be that girl anymore. I don't want to be the one used to hurt people I love. I want to learn to fight back!"

"Are you sure?" Sara asked, noting the determination in Thea's eyes.

"Yes." Thea stated simply. She had made her decision. "Will you train me? You and Ollie?"

"I can't speak for Oliver, but yes, I will help train you." Sara answered with a small smile. Oliver's going to love this. She thought to herself. "Just know it won't be easy."

"Sara, nothing in my life has been easy. Nothing except loving Roy. Why would I change that now?" Thea asked.

Sara gave Thea another small smile. Thea was obviously determined to see this through. She knew that that determination could turn Thea into quite a warrior if she had the dedication to go with it.

"Okay." Sara commented as she placed a gentle hand on Thea's shoulder.

"Thank you!"

"Hey, what's up?" Sin asked as she walked up and sat down on the other side of Thea.

"Sara just agreed to help train me too." Thea told the other woman. "I'm tired of being helpless. I'm ready to be able to stand up for myself, defend myself."

"Cool, we can train together." Sin commented with a grin.

* * *

Felicity and Caitlin sat at a tall table near the bar in silence. After a couple of minutes Caitlin finally met Felicity's eyes and spoke.

"He really is going to be okay you know. He'll just need to be sure he doesn't go out in the field, or do anything even remotely strenuous for a couple of weeks, and even then he'll have to take things easy. He should heal completely and be perfectly fine after a month or so." Caitlin told her friend. "His lung didn't actually collapse so it's not as bad as it seemed."

"The challenge will be keeping him out of action for a couple of weeks." Felicity told the other woman with a small laugh. "He's like Oliver in that respect. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to start training again next week."

"If he trains or goes into the field too early he could set himself back farther, maybe even puncture his lung again." Caitlin explained.

"I guess we have to find a way to keep him resting for a while then." Felicity commented quietly.

"How do you do it Felicity?" Caitlin asked after another moment of silence. "Knowing that every time they leave the Arrow Cave they might come back injured, or even not at all."

"It's definitely not easy." Felicity said softly, almost sadly. "But I know that Oliver, Roy, Diggle, and Sara all have someone to come back to. That's what keeps them motivated in the field. It's also what keeps me motivated in front of my computers. If I don't do my job then people I care about could get hurt or killed. It keeps me focused. If we all do our job then things go much smoother."

"That makes sense." Caitlin stated.

Both Felicity and Caitlin turned when Diggle entered the club.

"Barry picked up a ton of Big Belly Burger. You guys can come down and eat if you're hungry." Diggle informed the women.

"Is it okay?" Thea asked as she went to stand in front of Diggle.

"Yeah. Roy's as comfortable as can be and still resting." Diggle informed the younger Queen, knowing that Oliver had told her Roy deserved some privacy and that was what she was referring to. "Come on. You need to go eat something."

Thea nodded her head as Sin stepped up next to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, let's go check on Sleeping Beauty." Sin commented, trying to encourage Thea.

Thea smiled at her friend before following her back down the stairs and into the lair below. She stopped for a moment and took in the sight of Roy on the medical table yet again. He was still pale but the blood had been cleaned from his body, his wrist now sported a brace, and he was in his favorite pair of workout pants which Thea was pretty sure was much more comfortable than the leather that Roy had previously been in. She also spotted the man sitting on a stool next to her boyfriend. Andrew, Roy's brother. She could see from the look on his face that he was still worried for his younger brother and Thea couldn't help but hope that maybe he would stick around and Roy would be able to get to know his real family.

"Andrew." Thea called his name quietly as she came to stand next to Roy. "Thank you!"

"For what? It's my fault he's here after all." Andrew admitted, still feeling guilty for what he had allowed happen to Roy. "I never should have gone to work for him."

"You didn't know what the Dealer had planned, much less that you had a brother." Thea said softly as she placed a hand on Andrew's shoulder. "He wouldn't want you to sit here and blame yourself for something that wasn't even remotely your fault."

Andrew turned and looked Thea in the eyes. She seemed determined to make him see that he was wrong, that it wasn't his fault. If only she knew.

"I'm the one that helped that maniac find this Team. I helped him wire the warehouse to block all signals. I should have gotten him out of there sooner!" Andrew argued.

"NO!" Thea raised her voice, causing the rest of the group to look at the two of them. "You are not allowed to blame yourself. There was no way you could safely get anyone out of there without the backup from the Team. Did you not see the pile of guys that they took out on their way to us? Andrew, you are the reason we got out of there. If you hadn't contacted Felicity and given her the coordinates then Roy would probably be dead right now, at the hands of the man that was his father. You didn't cause this, you stopped the torture and freed your brother." Thea said emphatically. She needed Andrew to see that he had done everything within his power to help them. She was utterly determined not to allow him to beat himself up further.

"She's right." Oliver said quietly from the other side of the medical table. "We owe you our lives Andrew. Thank you!"

Andrew looked between the two Queen's and then at the rest of the group in the lair. They all seemed to agree with Thea and Andrew realized that maybe, just maybe she was right. After a moment he nodded his head, letting them all know that he understood and that he would work to stop blaming himself.

"I would feel better if he would just wake up." Andrew commented quietly.

"I know, I would too." Thea commented as she looked back to Roy, but not before Andrew saw the sadness in her eyes.

Thea pulled over one of Felicity's computer chairs and sat right next to the medical table where Roy lay. She reached out and gently took Roy's right hand in hers, rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb as she stared at his face.

"Come on Roy. Wake up. Please." Thea pleaded.

 


	43. Big Belly Burgers

"How many burgers did you buy Barry?" Sara asked as she looked over the spread before them. There had to be almost fifty Big Belly Burgers spread on the table before them.

"What?" Barry asked defensively. "I have a high metabolism!"

Oliver laughed as he picked up a couple of the burgers and walked back over to where Andrew and Thea sat.

"Here you go. You both need to eat something." Oliver told the two as he handed them the food. He noticed that Thea didn't seem interested in eating. "Thea, you are going to make yourself sick if you don't eat. You don't want him to wake up to realize that you've made yourself sick with worry do you?"

"No." Thea answered quietly as she unwrapped the food. "I guess not."

Oliver placed a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder before going to sit between Felicity and Sara.

"How is she doing?" Felicity asked as she turned to her soon to be husband.

"As good as can be expected." Oliver answered and he grabbed food for himself.

"She wants to train, learn to fight." Sara informed him.

"What?" Oliver asked, surprised.

"She's tired of feeling useless, of being used as leverage for the bad guys to get what they want. She wants to be able to defend herself." Sara explained further. "I've agreed to work with her, and I think you should too. She could be great at archery with the right instruction."

"I'll think about it." Oliver commented distractedly as he looked back towards his sister.

* * *

Thea ate a few bites of her food before she couldn't stomach any more. She just couldn't stand the fact that she was here, perfectly fine, while the man she loved was fighting for his life on the table next to her. She reached out yet again and gently took Roy's hand in hers and sighed.

"He's going to pull through. You have to believe that." Andrew commented from the stool next to her.

"I know." Thea answered, barely above a whisper. "It just hurts seeing him like this!"

"You know, I've never had to experience seeing someone I care about severely hurt until this week." Andrew spoke quietly.

"What was your childhood like?" Thea asked curiously, not turning her gaze away from Roy.

"I was taken to a foster home when I was about three. I was an only child at the time." Andrew started to explain. He wasn't talking loudly, but he could tell that the rest of the group was able to hear him as well. He chose to ignore them and continue his story. "They removed me from my home due to abuse from our father. I lived in a couple of orphanages before a nice family welcomed me into their home as a foster child. They had been having trouble conceiving and so became foster parents. I lived with them for two years before they were able to have a little girl. About a year after that, just after I turned ten, they officially adopted me and I have been a part of their family ever since." Andrew took a breath before continuing.

"In high school my teachers kept telling me I was gifted, that I knew more about computers than any other kid in the school. It was thanks to my computer science teacher my junior year that I was accepted to MIT. He is the one that encouraged me to go for it. I was able to make it through on a scholarship and graduated as the second of only two people to ever graduate egregia cume laude." Andrew smiled as he looked over towards where Felicity sat, listening. "The only other person that had done so was a legend among those in my graduating class. It was said that she could do anything,  _anything_ , she wanted to with a computer. I was pretty proud of myself for coming in second to her." Andrew turned back to Thea.

"It was about a week before my graduation ceremony that I met dad, the Dealer. He came to me as a prospective employer before telling me everything about who he was over lunch. He asked me to come work for him." Andrew paused for a moment, reflective. "Something seemed really off about him even then. When I mentioned that I would need to think about it he explained that if I didn't cooperate then he would slowly torture my adoptive family to death in front of me, record it all, and then make me watch it repeatedly. That's when I made my deal with the devil."

"You had no choice." Thea stated, realizing  _why_  Andrew had been helping the Dealer.

"He told me that if I ever looked into his story, his past, that he would kill them. If I ever tried to escape him, he would kill them. Basically I could only do what he wanted me to do." Andrew took a deep breath. "I was so scared for my family. I couldn't lose them. Then I realized that Roy was the Arsenal. The moment I saw his face after his mask was removed I knew that I had to do something. There was no way that we weren't related. I didn't even know that he existed, but as soon as I saw the resemblance I knew I had to do what I could to protect him. That's when I started searching for his story and made the connection."

"When I knew for sure who he was I contacted your team." Andrew explained. "I sent them a message on how to find out who I was. Once I heard back from them we made arrangements for them to come to the rescue and the rest is history I guess."

The two sat in silence for a few moments, Andrew finished with his story and Thea trying to decide what, if anything, she should say. She looked back to Roy and squeezed his hand, willing him to wake up.

* * *

Roy felt like he was drowning in a sea of darkness. He could feel the pain in his chest from his injuries and it made it hurt to breathe. It felt like someone had thrust a sword through his chest, sliced open a lung, and snapped his ribs in half all at the same time. He knew that that wasn't exactly how it had happened though, he could remember it clearly. He could still feel the white hot pain as David's knife sliced through his chest and the feel of boxing gloves hitting his flesh, breaking his already injured ribs. He felt the burning heat of the swelling and inflammation from the torn muscles in his shoulder from where it had dislocated when he fell to the ground to get free of his chains. He could also feel the pain in his wrist, caused from the drop from the chains. But, he felt a warmth in his right hand as well. He was confused. He couldn't figure out where the warmth had come from.

Roy tried to push past the pain, to reach out with his senses and figure out where he was, who was there. He listened as best as he could but could only hear the voice of a man that he knew he should recognize. He had heard that voice many times before and it took him a moment to place who it belonged to, Oliver. He felt relief flood through him at the knowledge that Oliver was near and, from the sound of his voice, they were safe. Oliver was talking to someone, a woman. It took him a brief moment to push away the cloudiness in his mind and recognize Thea's voice. She was safe and that relieved him more than he could say.

As Roy continued to fight his way out of the darkness he heard another male voice. This voice took longer to place as it was relatively new to him. However, after a moment of listening to him talk he recognized the voice of Andrew, his newly discovered brother. He was telling Thea a story, his story, and Roy listened. He finally knew why Andrew had done what he had. His brother had had no choice in the matter. Andrew had only done what was necessary to protect his family. That protection had extended to Roy as soon as Andrew knew that they were brothers.

Once Andrew finished speaking a silence fell over them. Roy felt a hand in his, probably Thea's, and her grip tightened. He fought the darkness. He needed to wake up, to see that Thea really was okay, to know if they were  _really_  safe. He struggled to wake up, for Thea.

Roy finally managed to push the darkness away and he opened his eyes. He blinked several times as the brightness of the lights in the room blinded him and finally his vision cleared.

"Roy!" Thea called in disbelief. He had  _finally_  opened his eyes and she felt like she could breathe again at last.

"Thea." Roy said. His voice was hoarse from being unused and dry.

"I'm right here Roy." Thea said as she placed a gentle hand on his cheek, tears streaming down his face.

Roy turned into Thea's touch and closed his eyes, the warmth of her hand on his face comforting him.

"Roy?" A woman said from the other side of the medical table that he finally realized he was laying on. "I'm Doctor Caitlin Snow. I'm a friend of Barry's."

Roy turned to look at her and could see Oliver standing next to her and the rest of the Team and Barry were sitting not far behind her.

"Roy, I just need to check on your injuries okay. I promise I'll do my best not to cause you more pain." Caitlin told the young man. He nodded carefully before turning his gaze back to Thea.

Caitlin made quick work of checking over Roy's injuries, making sure that he wasn't suffering from an infection and checking to make sure his breathing was okay. She also checked his chest tube and drain. She was relieved to see that he was slowly on his way to getting better. All he needed was several days of bed rest.

"Roy, you are going to need to make sure you don't overdo things. You've suffered from several broken and cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a sprained wrist, a stab wound to the chest, several cuts to your torso, and a punctured lung. You're going to need to take things easy for a few weeks in order to heal properly." Caitlin explained to the young man. "If you don't then you risk one of your broken ribs puncturing your lung again and I can't guarantee that Barry will be close enough to get you to me in time if that happens again. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" She asked, wanting to make sure he understood what could happen if he overdid it too soon. "I had to insert a chest tube due to your punctured lung. I need to make sure that all the fluid is drained before I can take it out. That means you need to lie still and flat here for awhile. Once there is no more drainage I can take the tube out and we can discuss moving you."

Roy listened as Dr. Snow listed his injuries and could not believe that he had had a punctured lung. He realized that that would explain the burning in his chest and he suddenly understood that he would not be alive right now if it wasn't for the young doctor, and apparently Barry.

"You saved my life?" Roy asked, looking for clarification.

"Diggle realized that you had punctured a lung while you were still at the warehouse. I was here with Barry since Felicity had already called asking us to come. Barry ran and got you, bringing you here. If you had been even a minute later getting to me I'm not sure I could have saved you." Caitlin explained.

"Thank you!" Roy whispered sincerely. "Both of you."

Barry simply nodded his head in acknowledgement as Caitlin smiled at Roy and placed a gentle hand on his left shoulder.

"I'm going to stick around for a few more days, just to make sure that there are no complications with your recovery." Caitlin told Roy as she reached for a glass of water. "Would you like some water?"

"Please." Roy whispered again, his throat dry.

Oliver came over and helped Roy into a position where he would be able to take a couple of small sips of water. Roy closed his eyes in relief as Oliver eased him back down. His throat felt much better. After a moment he looked over and his eyes met Thea's.

"Are you okay?" Roy asked his girlfriend. He could clearly see that she had been worried about him, and he knew that he had been worried about her.

"Don't worry about me Roy. No one hurt  _me_." Thea told Roy as she squeezed his hand again. She was simply thankful that he was alive and awake, finally.

Roy gave Thea a soft smile and squeezed her hand in return. He was more thankful than he could explain that she was okay, unharmed.

"Andrew?" Roy asked as he finally looked past Thea to the man that now stood a few steps away.

"Roy?" Andrew answered, unsure of how angry his younger brother was with him at the moment.

"You're still here?" Roy asked, a bit confused as to why the older man had stuck around. He had never had family willingly stay near him.

"Yeah. I needed to know that you were going to be okay." Andrew explained. "I can go if you don't want me here."

"No. Please stay." Roy pleaded as it looked like Andrew was about to leave the lair. "I want to get to know my brother."


	44. Rest

"Roy, you should rest." Thea told her boyfriend quietly as she placed her hand gently on his cheek, smiling to herself as he turned into her touch again. He hadn't been awake long but she could see that talking had drained him of any energy that he had had. She could also see the pain in his eyes and knew that he really did need more rest right now, despite what she wanted. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." She told him quietly as she placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I love you."

"Love you too Thea." Roy whispered back. The pain had flared up again and he was having trouble staying awake after using all his energy to talk to his Team, his friends, his family.

Roy closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, trying to make sure he remembered to keep it slow and steady. He chose to count his breaths, hoping it would help him keep his breathing steady. It worked just like he had hoped, it also put him to sleep again. As he drifted into the land of dreams he found himself dreaming of his first meeting with Thea and how they had grown closer after he had snatched her purse.

"I'm going to head to the train station. Cisco should be arriving soon." Barry commented a few minutes after Roy had gone back to sleep. "Will you be okay Caitlin?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm just going to stay here so I can keep an eye on Roy." Caitlin commented as she gave her friend a smile. "Change before you go."

"Oh yeah, right." Barry couldn't believe had had almost gone to the train station in his Flash suit. Cisco would be excited, but it would be more hassle than it was worth, explaining why the Flash was hanging out in the Starling City train station. He quickly went and changed into his normal clothes. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. Call me if anything happens."

The Team all agreed that they would call should anything go wrong. Moments later they were picking up the papers that had flown off of Felicity's desk as Barry had sped out of the door.

"I'll never get used to that." Felicity muttered as she sat down in front of her computers.

"You should go home and get some sleep too Felicity." Oliver commented as he came to stand next to her, a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I can't just leave while he's down here like this." Felicity commented.

"Yes, you can. You and I are getting married in a few days. You need your rest. Roy would say the same thing if he were awake." Oliver argued with her. He could see Caitlin, Sara, Sin, and Diggle standing in the corner, not even pretending to ignore the argument. They were clearly interested in whether or not he was going to win this one.

Felicity looked over to where Roy lay on the med table and where Andrew and Thea sat next to him. Finally, after a moment of thought, she turned back to Oliver.

"Fine, but I'm coming right back as soon as I get some sleep." Felicity stood and grabbed her jacket. "You  _will_  call me if  _anything_  changes." She demanded.

"The moment anything changes." Oliver agreed as he pulled her into a tight hug. "I love you and I can't wait to marry you on Saturday." Oliver whispered into her ear, unable to help the smile that spread across his lips. Felicity tilted her head up to look at him.

"I can't wait either." Felicity whispered back with a smile. Their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss. A promise of things to come.

"Diggle?" Oliver asked after he and Felicity finally pulled apart.

"I'll take her to the Mansion. We'll come back in the morning." Diggle answered, already knowing what Oliver was going to ask of him.

"I'm going to go home to Dad and Laurel. There's not really anything that I can do here at the moment." Sara told Oliver once Felicity and Diggle had left the lair. "Besides, we have some last minute planning for Felicity's bridal shower to do."

"Thank you Sara, for everything." Oliver said sincerely.

"Anytime Oliver. Night." At that Sara turned and left the lair with Sin in tow, already discussing the upcoming bridal shower for their friend.

Oliver turned and took in the sight of the lair. The only people left were himself, Caitlin, Andrew, Thea, and Roy who was sleeping at the moment. It was quiet, save for the heart monitor that Roy was hooked up to at the moment. Oliver took in a deep breath and went to help Caitlin finish cleaning up from the Team's dinner of Big Belly Burger. Once that was finished he walked over to where Andrew and Thea sat.

"You two should get some rest too." Oliver commented, knowing that Thea wouldn't want to move anywhere at the moment.

"I don't want to leave him alone." Thea commented as she stared at Roy's sleeping form on the table beside her. "What if he wakes up and I'm not here."

"I'm not suggesting you leave the lair, just that you get some rest." Oliver explained as he gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "You can use the cot in the corner and I'll keep an eye on him. I can wake you as soon as he wakes up if you want me to."

"Maybe in a little bit." Thea answered, not even bothering to look up at Oliver.

"Okay." Oliver conceded. He knew he would eventually be able to get her to rest. For now though, he would leave her be. He squeezed his sisters shoulders before turning to Andrew. "You doing okay Andrew?" Oliver asked.

"I'm fine, thank you Oliver." Andrew answered as he looked up to the hero of Starling City. "Thank you for always being there for him. For being family to him."

"You know, we didn't always see eye to eye." Oliver commented with a bit of a chuckle, remembering when he put an arrow in Roy's leg to keep him out of Arrow business. "He's come a long way though. He's strong, he'll pull through this."

"I know. I'm just glad he has all of you as family. You obviously mean a lot to him." Andrew said.

"What are your plans now that the Dealer has been dealt with?" Oliver asked, changing the subject.

"Eventually I'm going to go back to Gotham City. Try and find an IT job somewhere." Andrew answered after a moment of thought. "I still have family there. Plus, I'll still be close enough that I can come back to see Roy."

"Why don't you stick around for another couple of weeks? At least until after the wedding. Give you and Roy a chance to get to know each other." Oliver offered with a small smile.

"I would like that, thank you." Andrew answered, sincerely grateful that Oliver had understood his need to not only get to know Roy, but to get back to his other family as well.

"I have a friend in Gotham that might be able to help you with a job." Oliver mused. "I'll give him a call."

"Thank you."

* * *

It was a couple of hours later that Oliver found himself sitting in a chair next to Roy and across from Caitlin. Thea had fallen asleep in her chair and he had gently moved her to the cot in the corner. He knew it was more comfortable than the way she had been curled in her chair. Andrew had moved to a corner of the lair where he sat on the floor. He had called his family in Gotham City and was now leaning against the wall asleep. Oliver had turned down the lights in the lair so as not to disturb those who were sleeping, before moving to keep watch over Roy as he had promised Thea he would.

Oliver had just finished his phone conversation with his friend in Gotham City and was pleased with the outcome. Andrew had a job if he wanted it, and Oliver knew that his new boss would be great to work for.

"How's he doing doctor?" Oliver asked as he watched Caitlin check on her patient.

"Better than I expected." Caitlin commented as she checked Roy's chest tube. "We can take this out once he wakes up. I would do it now but I don't want him to wake up while I'm doing it. It would make it hurt more and he needs to stay still while I remove it."

"I've a feeling it won't be long before he wakes up again." Oliver stated as he stood to stretch his legs. "He's not one to stay down long."

"So how  _are_  you going to keep him from overdoing things until he heals?" Caitlin asked, genuinely curious.

"I'll let you know once I figure that out myself." Oliver stated with a bit of a laugh.

Caitlin smiled back. It was nice to see a softer side of Oliver. Usually he was serious, tense, determined. Right now he was simply a concerned friend, mentor, and soon to be husband of one of her new best friends.

"Thank you for coming." Oliver said softly. "He wouldn't be here if you hadn't come."

"Anything for friends." Caitlin answered with a smile.

"You've got to be exhausted. Is there anything that you need?" Oliver asked.

"I'd love to take a shower and freshen up." Caitlin mused. "But I don't want to go far in case I'm needed here."

"We have a bathroom over in the corner. You're more than welcome to use it." Oliver stated as he pointed to the corner in question. "I can keep an eye on Roy. You said the chest tube can come out once he wakes up?"

"Yes. The drainage has stopped now so it can be removed." Caitlin answered.

"I can take care of it if you're not back when he wakes up." Oliver commented.

"Are you sure? It's going to hurt." Caitlin told him.

"I'm sure. I've done it before." Oliver said cryptically.

"Okay. Well, holler if you need me. I won't be long." Caitlin commented as she moved to the bathroom. Maybe one day she would understand the man named Oliver Queen.  _Fat chance of that._  She thought as she turned on the shower, allowing the steam to build up in the bathroom.  _If Felicity hasn't figured him out yet then none of the rest of us stand a chance._

* * *

It was just after Caitlin disappeared into the bathroom that Roy started to stir. Oliver watched as his young Teammate slowly opened his eyes and looked around him.

"Thea's resting on the cot." Oliver told Roy, noting that he was looking for Thea. "She didn't want to leave your side but she fell asleep in her chair. I thought she'd be more comfortable over there."

Roy simply gave a small nod of acknowledgement before closing his eyes for a moment and tried to swallow. Within seconds Oliver was there with some water and helped him swallow a few sips.

"Thank you." Roy whispered as he looked back to his mentor who was standing next to him.

"I need to do something, but it's going to hurt." Oliver told the younger man.

"What?" Roy asked warily.

"Your chest tube is ready to come out, but I need to roll you on your side and it's not going to feel very good." Oliver explained.

Roy took a moment to process what Oliver had just told him. He knew that now was probably the best time to do it as Thea was asleep. In fact, it almost felt like he and Oliver were the only ones in the lair at the moment. He gave a brief nod to Oliver, letting his mentor know that he was ready, before closing his eyes and gritting his teeth in preparation for the pain to come.

Oliver noticed as soon as Roy nodded his head and closed his eyes, telling him that he was ready. He made quick work of rolling Roy onto his side before pulling the tube straight out and he winced as Roy let out a loud groan of pain. He felt bad for having to hurt Roy even more, but at the same time he was proud of Roy for keeping the pain under control. He quickly cleaned and put a simple dressing on the wound before laying Roy on his back again and laying a hand gently on his shoulder, letting him know that he was done.

"Done." Oliver stated.

"Oliver?" Roy asked.

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever had a chest tube?" Roy asked quietly. "I mean, with all your injuries, I just wondered if you've ever had a punctured lung."

"No, Roy I haven't." Oliver answered honestly. "I've been electrocuted, stabbed, shot with arrows and bullets, beaten, and many other things. But I've never had a punctured lung."

"Not even when Billy Wintergreen tortured you?" Roy asked curiously. He knew that he had suffered some of the same injuries that Oliver had when he first met Billy.

"No, not even then." Oliver answered slowly, reflectively. "He really knew what he was doing."

Oliver and Roy remained in contemplative silence for a moment before Oliver spoke again.

"I honestly don't think it was the blade that nicked your lung Roy." Oliver commented, gaining the attention of Roy once more. "I think that the beating you received caused your ribs to fracture. Then, sometime during the fight one of them nicked your lung. If it had happened before that then you wouldn't be here." Oliver told him honestly.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing it didn't then." Roy said sarcastically.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Oliver responded. "I'm really proud of you Roy."

"Why? It's not like I did anything. Other than letting us all get captured and letting  _him_  beat the crap out of me." Roy commented as he looked away from Oliver.

"That's not true Roy, and you know it!" Oliver told the younger man. "You stood up to a man that beat you since you were a kid. You stood up for your Team, your friends. And even when they were beating you, torturing you for information about our Team you remained determined not to give them what they wanted. Roy, you have a thread of steel running through you whether you know it or not. You protected our Team. If that's not reason to be proud of you then I don't know what is." Oliver stated.

Roy turned to meet Oliver's eyes and he could see that the older man was telling him the truth. Oliver really was proud of him.

"I killed him." Roy finally stated. He could see that Oliver knew exactly what he was talking about the moment he said it.

"Yeah, you did." Oliver confirmed.

"How do you know if killing is the right choice?" Roy asked. There was a mass of emotions coursing through him as he thought about what he had done.

"Let me tell you a story." Oliver commented as he pulled a stool over to sit down on. "You remember when my mom was on trial and we were waiting for a verdict on her guilt?" Oliver asked, waiting for a nod of affirmation from Roy before continuing. "As Thea and I waited for the verdict to be announced I got a call from Felicity's phone. When I answered Count Vertigo was on the other end of the line. He had her and was threatening her life. I immediately left the courthouse, suited up, and met him in my office at Queen Consolidated where he was holding Felicity. When I walked in he had her by her ponytail and was threatening to inject her with a lethal amount of vertigo. I didn't even think twice before I sent three arrows flying into his chest. I felt no guilt as his body plummeted from the building to a car below. Do you know why I didn't even hesitate, why I feel no remorse for killing him?" Oliver asked.

"He was threatening Felicity. You had no choice." Roy answered quickly.

"Exactly." Oliver stated. "Now, tell me this. What would the Dealer have done to Thea had he lived? Andrew said something about it didn't he?" Oliver asked.

"He would have hurt her. He would have beaten her like he did me." Roy answered quickly. "I couldn't let him do that to her. She had done nothing to deserve what he would have done to her. I couldn't let him do that to her."

"Let me tell you what I told Felicity that night." Oliver said softly. "She apologized for making me break my vow to Tommy, that I wouldn't kill again. I told her that there was no choice to make. Her life was on the line and I will always,  _always_ , do  _anything_  to protect her."

Roy took a moment to contemplate what Oliver had told him. He knew he would be no where near over what he had done, that he had killed. But, he took solace in knowing Oliver was right.

There was no choice to make.

 


	45. Stubbornness

Oliver and Roy remained in silence for the space of a full minute before Roy swallowed hard and looked back to his mentor.

"Thank you." Roy stated simply. Oliver simply tilted his head with a small smile on his face. Roy knew what that smile meant, no words were needed.

"I'm guessing you're going to try and sit up now." Oliver observed, noting the look of determination that had just crossed Roy's face. He held back his laughter as Roy suddenly looked sheepish for thinking it.

"Wouldn't you?" Roy asked after a moment.

"Yes. That's how I know what you're thinking." Oliver answered with a bit of a laugh. "I can't say it's the smartest thing to do at the moment, but, I also know that won't stop you." Oliver told his young protégé.

"Hold your right arm close to your chest to keep from aggravating your shoulder." Oliver instructed as he moved to help Roy sit up. "You're not going to be able to use that arm for a while. It'll need to be kept in a sling until it fully heals from the dislocation."

Roy did as instructed and pulled his arm close to his chest. Oliver then helped him move into a sitting position to where his legs were now hanging off the side of the med table. It had been a painful move, as he had known it would be, and he had had to stifle a loud groan as he sat upright. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a few deep breaths, well, as deep as he could under the circumstances. Just as he opened his eyes again he noticed that Thea was just waking and Dr. Snow was exiting the bathroom in the back of the lair.

"Roy?" Thea cried as she opened her eyes to see her boyfriend now sitting up on the medical table. "How long have you been up? Ollie, you said you would wake me up as soon as he was awake!" Thea turned to her brother accusingly.

"I just woke up Thea." Roy said calmly to his girlfriend, trying to ease her anger at her brother. "I asked him to help me up before he woke you. You needed the rest."

"How are you feeling Roy?" Caitlin asked as she walked over to where he was now sitting.

"Fine." Roy answered, noticing the smirk from Oliver at his answer.

"If your definition of fine is the same as Oliver's then I'm going to need to check you over to see for myself." Caitlin commented, giving Roy a look that said she clearly knew what his 'fine' meant.

Thea stood near Roy as Caitlin made quick work of checking him over. She was relieved that he was awake again, and the fact that he was sitting up meant that he was starting to feel better, even if only by a fraction. She turned and smiled at Andrew when he came and stood next to her, squeezing her shoulder gently to show his support.

Caitlin re-bandaged the wounds on Roy's chest, checking to make sure that the stitches were still in place as she did so. She also did a quick check of his ribs to ensure that moving didn't cause any new injuries. Caitlin knew that he would want to be able to leave the lair soon and she wanted to be sure the movement would't injure him more.

"I'm not going to wrap your ribs. I don't want it to interfere with your other injuries healing. Just be careful to move slow. Lots of rest for you for the next couple of weeks." Caitlin instructed her patient.

As Caitlin checked Roy over Oliver moved around the lair and grabbed one of Roy's customary red hoodies, as well as a sling from the medical supplies, and laid them on the table next to where the younger man sat. He knew both would be needed, soon.

"I'm going to put your arm in a sling to keep you from using it too soon. But first, let's get you into this hoodie so you can go home." Caitlin told the young man before her. She picked up the hoodie and gently guided Roy's right arm into it first. Once that arm was in the sleeve correctly she assisted him in getting it on the rest of the way and zipping up the front. Caitlin then gently placed Roy's arm into the sling and positioned it the best that she could so it wouldn't aggravate his other injuries.

"You are ready to go home now. Just take it slow and steady and don't be afraid to rest if you need to." Caitlin instructed as she cleaned up from her work.

"I'm going to go pull the SUV around. You guys meet me upstairs." Oliver told the group. He then turned to Andrew. "The breaker is right over there. Can you turn the lights out on your way up please?" Oliver asked as he pointed to the breaker panel by the stairs.

"Of course." Andrew answered with a smile. "We'll be right up."

Oliver then disappeared up the stairs and Thea walked over to stand directly in front of Roy.

"You sure you're ready to move?" Thea asked, concerned that moving would cause Roy more pain.

"I'm sure. I don't want to be stuck down here on this table much longer or I'm going to go crazy." Roy told Thea as he reached out to her with his left arm. He squeezed her arm, causing her to meet his eyes. "I'm going to be fine Thea. I promise!"

"I was so scared." Thea whispered to where only Roy could hear her. "I thought I was going to lose you."

"But you didn't." Roy said softly, for Thea's ears only. He moved his hand up to cup her face and pull her closer to him. "I'm not going anywhere Thea. Not as long as I have you to come home to." Roy took a moment to gaze into the eyes of the woman before him. "I love you Thea." He then pulled her closer to him and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I love you too Roy Harper." Thea breathed as she pulled away from her man.

"Sorry to kill the moment, but, are you two ready to go?" Andrew asked. He hated to interrupt the couple, but he also knew that Oliver was waiting upstairs for them.

"Yeah, let's go home." Roy answered as he slid off the med table, Thea holding his good arm for support.

"Think you can make it up the stairs?" Thea asked.

Roy lifted his head to look at Thea. Her concern was valid, he was still in pain and climbing those stairs was not going to be easy. However, before he could say anything Andrew spoke up.

"I'll make sure he get's up them okay." Andrew commented as he moved to the breaker box. "You girls go on up, we'll be right behind you."

"Come on Thea, let's go." Caitlin said as she reached out and pulled Thea into a side hug. "Let's let these macho men bond over climbing the stairs together." She said with a smirk, causing Thea to laugh.

Andrew waited for the women to make it halfway up the stairs before looking back to his brother.

"You okay Roy?" Andrew asked, noting the fact that Roy was moving slowly towards him and the stairs.

"Yeah, still hurts though." Roy commented as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

Andrew flipped the breaker, turning off the lights in the lair before walking over to stand next to Roy. "Come on little brother. Let's get up these stairs." Andrew then pulled Roy's good arm over his shoulders and carefully placed his arm around Roy's waist, offering the younger man his support.

Roy was thankful for the help that Andrew provided. It was slow moving up the stairs seeing as he was still low on energy, not to mention the movement didn't feel too great either. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they made it to the top of the stairs and Roy could breathe again.

"Roy, you lay down in the back seat. I'm driving and Caitlin can sit in the front with me. Andrew, there's a third row of seats in the back." Oliver instructed as he helped Andrew ease Roy into the back seat of the SUV. He didn't bother telling his sister where to sit as he knew she would want to be with Roy, just as Felicity would if he was the injured one.

Thea pulled Roy's head into her lap in the backseat of the SUV and smiled down at him when their eyes met. As Oliver started to drive towards the Queen Mansion she gently ran her fingers though his hair and massaged his scalp. She could tell that this helped him relax more and made the ride home easier on him.

Thea knew that she loved Roy, and in that moment she came to a realization. She would do anything,  _anything,_  for this man!


	46. Home Again

Roy let out a small sigh of relief as he lay in the back of the SUV with his head on Thea's lap. It felt good to be going home again, even if it was the Queen Mansion. In all fairness though he hadn't spent much time at his own house since the Dealer arrived in town. He had spent most of his time in the lair with the Team, or at the Mansion. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of Thea running her hands through his hair. It was comforting. He found that if he focused on what Thea was doing then he didn't notice the bumps in the road as much. He knew Oliver was driving carefully, but it still hurt a bit when they hit one.

"Roy?" Thea said quietly.

"Hmmm?" Roy answered sleepily. If Thea kept massaging his scalp he could almost fall asleep.

"I'm glad you're okay." Thea whispered as their eyes met.

"Yeah, me too." Roy smiled back. He could see that she had really struggled with the fact that he had been hurt so much recently. He just hoped that she understood  _why_ he did what he did.  _Maybe Felicity can talk to her. It's not like she doesn't know what it's like_. He thought to himself.

The rest of the ride to the Queen Mansion was spent in silence. Roy managed to keep his discomfort to himself except for twice when the road wasn't as smooth, and even then he had only allowed a small groan to escape. Finally, Oliver parked in front of the mansion and it was time to get out of the SUV.

Oliver quickly jumped out of the drivers seat and went to open Roy's door to help the younger man out of the vehicle. Andrew assisted as well and the two men were able to help Roy get out of the vehicle without too much pain. Once Roy was on solid ground Oliver pulled Roy's good arm around his shoulders in order to support him and they began to slowly walk inside. Oliver knew that under normal circumstances Roy would balk at being helped like this, however, he could see the fatigue in Roy's eyes again and knew that the sooner Roy could rest again the better.

Andrew was starting to worry about Roy again. His younger brother had spent an awful lot of time sleeping since they had been rescued and he couldn't help but wonder if Roy really was okay.

"He's going to be fine Andrew. Really." Caitlin said quietly from her place next to Andrew.

"Thanks." Andrew whispered as they neared the front door.

"I could tell you were worrying. He's strong. He'll pull through." Caitlin smiled at Andrew and was relieved to see that he believed her.

As the group approached the mansion Andrew sprinted forward to open the front door for Oliver and Roy. If he hadn't been pre-occupied he would have been in awe of the sheer size of the house and the beauty of the grounds. As things were though he would have to admire the Queen Mansion at a later date.

As the group stepped into the foyer of the Mansion Moira, Felicity, Diggle, and Walter emerged from the kitchen.

"Good morning everyone." Moira welcomed with a smile. Felicity had given her some information on what had happened, and the condition of young Roy. However, hearing it was one thing, and seeing completely different. She could see that Oliver was now supporting Roy's entire weight and that the younger man was extremely exhausted. Moira could also see the worry etched in her daughters face. "Why don't you take young Roy upstairs to rest. Then you all can join us for some breakfast."

Oliver gave his mother a warm smile in thanks as they passed to go up the stairs. She laid a gentle hand on his arm for just a moment and in that brief contact he knew that she was proud of him, of who he had become. He allowed a brief smile to cross his lips as he all but carried Roy up the stairs, Thea, Caitlin, and Andrew following closely behind.

Roy stifled a groan as Oliver lowered him onto Thea's bed. He was so tired. He felt helpless and that was not a feeling that he enjoyed. Finally, after a minute he was as comfortable as he was going to get. Caitlin had just finished giving him a once over to make sure all her work was still in place. Thea had stepped into the bathroom to change. Andrew was quietly talking to Caitlin by the door. Roy turned to look at Oliver.

"I'm sorry." Roy stated quietly so hopefully Oliver would be the only one to hear him.

"You don't need to apologize Roy." Oliver told his young protégé. "I seem to remember not that long ago when you helped  _me_ after  _I_  was injured. It's what Teammates do." Oliver offered Roy a small smile. The last thing Roy needed to worry about right now was guilt.

"Time for you to rest Roy. Your body needs time to heal and build your energy back up." Caitlin instructed as Thea re-entered the room.

"We're going downstairs. You call us if you need anything." Oliver told Thea as he pulled her into a tight hug. "I love you Speedy." He whispered into her hair.

"I love you too Ollie. Thank you. For everything." Thea whispered into Oliver's chest. It felt good having her brother back home, and not having any more secrets between them.

When Thea turned back toward where Roy lay on the bed she noticed that he was already asleep. She carefully climbed into the bed next to him and ran her hands through his hair. This was just as much to comfort him and allow him to rest peacefully as it was a way for her to remind herself that everything would turn out okay. Finally Thea drifted off to sleep as she lay next to Roy, hand in hand.

* * *

Nine hours after they had arrived back at the Mansion Andrew carefully, and quietly, walked back into Roy and Thea's room. He had spent the last several hours getting some much needed food and sleep. He had just come from speaking with Oliver who suggested he check in with Roy. As he eased the door open Thea raised her eyes and met his. She had obviously gotten some much needed rest as well and Andrew was relieved.

"Why don't you let me keep an eye on him for a while?" Andrew commented gently as he approached the bed. "Besides, I think Felicity needed you for something anyway."

Thea rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked at her watch.

"Crap! We have a final dress fitting in an hour!" Thea jumped from her place on the bed next to Roy and ran for the walk in closet. "I can't believe I forgot about it." She mumbled as she pulled out some fresh clothes. She then showered and dressed in record time.

Andrew almost laughed as he watched the whirlwind that was Thea Queen running around trying to get ready for a dress fitting. He knew that Oliver and Felicity were getting married in just a few days and he found he was extremely happy for the couple. He hadn't known Team Arrow long, but he already felt like family. He looked up and smiled at Thea as she emerged from the bathroom looking well rested and simply beautiful.  _I can see why my brother is head over heels in love with her_. He thought as he watched her walk over and give Roy a gentle kiss.

"I'll be back soon. Please don't let him get into trouble." Thea told Andrew on her way out the door.

"I'll do my best." Andrew responded with a smile.

Andrew sat in silence for a couple of hours after Thea had left and read. His younger brother seemed to be breathing easier now than he was before which could only be good for him. The only thing that worried him was that Roy was still asleep. However, Caitlin had explained why he was still asleep and that had eased his worry. His body needed the rest and would wake him when it was ready.

It was just after Andrew finished these thoughts that Roy started to stir.

Roy felt like someone had used his body as a punching bag. He was in pain from the waist up and his head was currently throbbing. His throat was dry and he realized that he was starving. Finally he slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He was in Thea's bed in the Queen Mansion and it felt like he had been sleeping for days. As he looked to his left he saw Andrew looking at him, an open book in his lap.

"Afternoon Sleeping Beauty." Andrew commented with a smirk on his face.

"How long have I been asleep?" Roy asked as he noted the fading light through the window.

"It's been almost twelve hours since we got to the Mansion." Andrew told his brother as he set his book on the bedside table. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees and hands clasped together. "You pushed your body to it's limit and beyond back at the warehouse. You used every ounce of strength that you had, and then some. You've been sleeping so much because it was the only way your body could function at that point." Andrew explained what Caitlin had told him just after they had arrived at the mansion. "You're going to be fine Roy."

"Thanks." Roy said softly as he saw the sincerity, the concern, in his brother's eyes. "Where's Thea?" He asked after looking around the room once more and realizing that she was no longer in the room with him.

"Felicity, Thea, and Sara all had a final dress fitting to go to." Andrew explained. "Diggle went with them for security. I've been tasked with keeping you out of trouble."

"Fat chance of that." Roy muttered under his breath as he started to try to sit up.

"Here, let me help you." Andrew rose to his feet quickly and helped Roy into a sitting position. He thought his brother would stop there but was proven wrong when Roy swung his feet over the side of the bed. "Where do you think you're going?" Andrew asked, concerned.

"Bathroom. Have to pee." Roy answered, focusing on standing up without falling over. "Besides, I can't lay in the bed any longer. I need to move around."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Andrew muttered as he helped Roy to the bathroom.

Andrew stayed close to Roy until the younger man was finished in the bathroom. He wanted to roll his eyes at Roy's determination but held himself in check, knowing that one day Roy would feel better and probably kick his butt if he did.

"I'm going downstairs." Roy announced as they stepped back into Thea's room.

"Why Roy? You need to rest, not go on long romantic walks with me." Andrew half teased.

"Kitchen's downstairs." Roy stated simply as he reached the door.

"You know we can bring you food up here just as easy." Andrew responded as he followed his brother out the door and towards the stairs.

"Don't care. I'm going to go insane if I stay cooped up in a bed much longer." Roy answered as he turned to his brother.

"Fine, but if your stubborn ass falls down these stairs then I'm claiming you ran while I was in the bathroom." Andrew teased his brother as he came up alongside the younger man.

"You won't let me fall." Roy stated matter of factly as they began to descend the stairs. Even though he had barely just met him Roy knew without a shadow of a doubt that Andrew would do what he could to protect him. He had already proven that.

"You're right. I won't." Andrew responded seriously.

The brothers eyes met briefly as they paused just below the top of the stairs. In that moment they both knew that they would each do anything for the other, even though they barely knew one another.

"Come on little brother, let's get you downstairs." Andrew said with a teasing smile as he descended another step.

"I'm not little." Roy muttered as he held onto the rail and slowly descended the stairs beside his brother.

"Yeah you are. You're shorter than me." Andrew continued to joke around.

"Size means nothing." Roy shot back.

"You have such a cute baby face too." Andrew was trying with all his might not to laugh at the look on Roy's face.

"Do not." Roy argued back, starting to get slightly winded from the walk down the stairs.

"Do too."

"At least I have bigger muscles than you.  _Geek_." Roy spat back. He was starting to think that maybe Andrew was right and he should have stayed in bed. However, he knew that there was no way he was going to make it back up the stairs without help at the moment and that was the last thing Roy wanted.

"Roy, what are you doing up?" Oliver asked from the bottom of the stairs.

Roy looked up suddenly at the sound of his mentors voice. He had a feeling that he was about to get into a lot of trouble.

"Just needed to stretch my legs." Roy offered, hoping Oliver wouldn't make a huge deal of this.

Oliver took a moment to assess Roy, then looked to Andrew who stood next to him. He had heard the sibling banter as they had descended the stairs and knew that it was a good start to what he hoped would be a strong relationship between the brothers.

"Well, I guess I can't say too much as I'd be doing the same thing." Oliver finally commented with a smile, noting the look of amusement on Roy's face.

"You never did listen to instructions very well." Maseo commented from where he stood next to Oliver, a small smile on his face.

"Not even when in the Bratva." Anatoli agreed from his place on the other side of Oliver.

Both Maseo and Anatoli watched as young Roy descended the final stairs. Each man could see the same determination that they had seen in Oliver manifested in the young man before them. They each could also see the worry beneath the surface of Oliver's amused expression. They could see it because they had both been in his shoes.

Once Andrew and Roy reached the bottom of the stairs Andrew moved to Roy's left side in order to be able to offer him support if he needed it. He recognized the men with Oliver as two of the men who had come to their rescue in the warehouse. However, he couldn't remember who they were, nor did he know why they were here at this moment.

"Roy, Andrew, I would like you to meet Anatoli and Maseo. Two of my former mentors, brothers." Oliver introduced the two men standing next to him. "Anatoli, Maseo this is Roy, my protégé, and Andrew, his older brother." Oliver then introduced the two young men before them.

"It's been a pleasure to meet you." Andrew commented with a smile. "We were just headed to the den to watch a movie and grab some food."

Oliver's eyes met those of Andrew and he knew what the other man was up to. He could see that Roy's strength was quickly draining and Andrew was trying to move him to a place where he could lie down.

"We're just headed out back for a while. Let me know if you need anything." Oliver commented as he turned to lead his two friends outside.

"I will Oliver. Thank you." Andrew responded with a smile.

Andrew turned and carefully placed a hand on Roy's back, urging him forward. Once they made it to the den Andrew helped Roy to carefully lay on the couch and get comfortable. He then went to the kitchen and quickly returned with a sandwich. As Roy ate they settled in to watch the new Robo Cop.

Halfway through the movie Andrew looked over and smiled. Roy was asleep once again.


	47. The Three Amigos

Oliver had just bid his fiancé goodbye as she left with Thea, Sara, and Diggle for a final fitting for her wedding dress. As he watched them pull away from the front door of the mansion he found himself dreaming. Dreaming of what she will look like in six days as she walks across the back lawn and down the aisle to meet him. How she would look simply radiant as they stood and exchanged vows, promising each other eternity.

Oliver was abruptly pulled from his daydreams as another car pulled up the front drive. He watched curiously as it came smoothly to a stop in front of him and he smiled as the occupant emerged.

"Anatoli! Welcome to my home." Oliver greeted his guest warmly in Russian. The two men came together in a warm embrace. "Thank you so much for coming!"

"I would not miss this for anything." Anatoli responded in just as perfect Russian.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't talk in a language that I don't know." Maseo said to the men as he walked around to where they were standing.

"Maseo." Oliver greeted with a smile. "It's good to see you my friend! Let's go inside and we can talk." Oliver invited his guests into his home.

As soon as Oliver entered the house and shut the door behind them he heard voices on the stairs. He walked around to the bottom of the stairs and saw Roy and Andrew slowly making their way down. It was all he could do not to crack up laughing at the exchange between the brothers.

"Roy, what are you doing up?" Oliver asked from his place at the bottom of the stairs.

Oliver almost laughed at the look on Roy's face. He was obviously afraid that he was about to get into trouble.

"Just needed to stretch my legs." Roy answered.

Oliver took a moment to assess Roy, then looked to Andrew who stood next to him.

"Well, I guess I can't say too much as I'd be doing the same thing." Oliver finally commented with a smile, noting the look of amusement on Roy's face.

"You never did listen to instructions very well." Maseo commented from where he stood next to Oliver, a small smile on his face.

"Not even when in the Bratva." Anatoli agreed from his place on the other side of Oliver.

Oliver looked to both of his guests and noted the amused expressions on their faces. He turned back to Roy and Andrew and did his best to hide his worry for the younger man. He really hoped that Roy wasn't overdoing things at the moment. Finally he decided that it was past time for introductions.

"Roy, Andrew, I would like you to meet Anatoli and Maseo. Two of my former mentors, brothers." Oliver introduced the two men standing next to him. "Anatoli, Maseo this is Roy, my protégé, and Andrew, his older brother." Oliver then introduced the two young men before them.

"It's been a pleasure to meet you." Andrew commented with a smile. "We were just headed to the den to watch a movie and grab some food."

Oliver's eyes met those of Andrew and he knew what the other man was up to. He could see that Roy's strength was quickly draining and Andrew was trying to move him to a place where he could lie down. He was thankful that Andrew was looking out for Roy.

"We're just headed out back for a while. Let me know if you need anything." Oliver told the guys before turning to escort his guests out to the patio.

"I will Oliver. Thank you." Andrew responded with a smile.

The three men eased into the chairs on the patio and enjoyed a moment of silence before Anatoli finally spoke.

"Tell me Oliver. How have you been since we last spoke?" Anatoli asked his friend and former protégé.

"Well." Oliver answered, he wasn't in a rush as they currently had plenty of time to catch up on things. "We've been through a couple of rough patches over the last six months, but the Team's done extraordinarily well under the pressure."

"What happened?" Maseo asked curiously.

"First there was Malcolm Merlyn." Oliver told his friend, not missing the slight change in Maseo at the name. "He kidnapped my mom, Walter, Detective Lance, Laurel, Felicity, Diggle, and I. He was still not pleased with how things happened with the Undertaking and wanted to take out his anger on my family, my Team, and I. He tortured all of us in one way or another before Sara and Roy were able to help us escape. He was not so fortunate." Oliver told the men.

"You did the League a service by dealing with Merlyn." Maseo commented. Ra's would be pleased to hear of Merlyn's demise. "You said he was first, there were more?" He asked.

"After Merlyn we had a brief moment of peace." Oliver drew a breath before meeting Anatoli's eyes. "Then Slade showed his hand. We knew he was in town we just didn't know exactly what he was up to until he started to abduct my Team one by one. He beat Lance, tried to turn my sister against me, tried to drown Sara in front of me, gave Felicity the Dragon Tattoo in order to remind me of Shado each time I see it. Then he tortured me and broadcasted it to the lair for my Team to see."

Maseo and Anatoli looked at each other. They knew that the ordeal had been difficult on Oliver, they could see it in the way he sat with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped in front of him, as he stared off into the distance.

"But he did not defeat you." Maseo observed quietly.

"No, he didn't. My Team had my back. They were finally able to track our location and they rescued us." Oliver said with pride evident in his voice.

"Your Team cares for you deeply. They have become sem'ya. Family." Anatoli said thoughtfully from where he sat next to Oliver.

"Until recently they were the only people in Starling that understood me. They may not always agree with me, nor I them, but we respect each other. They know how this mission started for me and they respect that. Diggle and Felicity have been with me since almost the beginning. I can't imagine being the Arrow without them."

"Your protégé is very much like you." Maseo observed, noting Oliver's instinctual smile.

"Yes, that he is." Oliver agreed. "He's been through a lot."

"Just as you have been." Anatoli commented. "What caused you to decide to teach him?"

"At the time I told myself I was doing it to protect Thea." Oliver commented before laughing at himself. "Roy was injected with Mirakuru. I wanted to train him, teach him to control it. I told people it was so that he wouldn't hurt Thea, but the Team knew better. I was afraid that the Mirakuru would do to Roy what it did to Slade."

"Does he still have the Mirakuru in him?" Maseo asked, needing to know if he would need to keep an eye on the young man.

"No. Slade made sure of that." Oliver commented. "Roy was doing well. He had mostly learned to control the anger that the Mirakuru brought. Slade abducted him and Thea at the same time and tried to drive a wedge between her and I by revealing that Roy had been injected, and was then working with me."

"I see it did not work." Anatoli observed.

"No, it didn't." Oliver smiled. "Roy and I have worked well together. We don't always see eye to eye, but then again neither do Diggle and I. He's a great asset to the Team."

"You and Roy share the same determination." Maseo commented as he shifted in his seat.

"Yeah, we do." Oliver agreed. "That was proven to me over the last couple of days."

"What do you mean?" Anatoli asked.

"The Dealer was the man that held us when you came to help rescue us. That man was Roy and Andrew's father." Oliver told his friends. "The Dealer went to Roy and asked him to help track down the Arrow. He didn't know at the time that Roy worked with me. Roy told him no despite the fact that the Dealer threatened him. Once he had captured Thea, Roy, and I he tried to torture information about the rest of the Team out of Roy. He refused to give up any information despite the pain that he was in." Oliver took a moment to take a deep breath as he remembered having to watch as the Dealer and David tortured Roy.

"Watching as a friend is tortured is no easy task." Maseo commented, equally as contemplative.

"We have each had to watch, or listen, as you were tortured as well Oliver. We know how the sounds will haunt you." Anatoli said quietly as he observed the other man. "You must move on though. You cannot let this keep you from trusting him, from allowing him to continue to work with you. You have to maintain your belief in him, no matter how badly you want to protect him. He has made his choice. I am sure he knew what he was getting into when he chose to continue to work with you. Do not make light of his decision."

"He is obviously a strong young man, however, he will need someone to talk to about what has happened." Maseo advised. "You know what it's like to be tortured, to have the nightmares, to have to live with the knowledge that you have had to take a life. Share your experiences, help him through it. This will strengthen your bond as partners, as brothers."

"Thank you, both, for everything." Oliver commented after a moment, complete sincerity evident in his voice. "Even now, after years, you are both mentoring me, teaching me."

"Someone has to." Maseo teased with a smile.

All three men enjoyed a laugh and sat for a moment in silence.

"Oh! I have spoken to the Bratva." Anatoli commented after a few moments.

"You said you might." Oliver commented, curious as to how things turned out.

"What did they say?" Maseo asked. He didn't know much about Oliver's time in the Bratva, only that they had written him off a few months ago.

"They were not pleased with Oliver. However, I informed them that the reason he is Bratva is because I say so! He has saved my life many times and I brought him into the Bratva as Krysha, enforcer." Anatoli said to Maseo. "Oliver moved quickly through the ranks of the Bratva and proved his worth and loyalty many times. There is a reason he is Kapitan."

"So what now?" Oliver asked quietly.

"Now they treat you with respect as Bratva Kapitan." Anatoli stated with finality. "And if they do not... they will answer to me. Bratva Pakhan!"


	48. The Queen Mother

Moira and Walter were walking through the foyer when they heard a groan from the den where Andrew and Roy had been watching a movie. Moira turned to look but didn't see anyone there and she wondered if she had been hearing things. They started to walk away when she suddenly heard a pained cry from the room. It was clearly Roy and it sounded as though he was in the throes of a nightmare. She turned and met Walter's eyes before they both moved quickly to the den.

Walter and Moira found Roy tossing and turning on the couch, a sheen of sweat covering his face. He was moaning and writhing around as if in a great deal of pain. They knew instantly that they were right about it being a nightmare and Moira was brought back to Oliver's first night back from Lian Yu.

"Should we wake him?" Moira wondered aloud.

"We don't know how he'll react." Walter answered, also remembering Oliver's violent reaction to be awoken on that stormy night.

"No, Thea!" Roy cried out.

"Walter, I can't just leave him like this. I'm going to wake him." Moira told her husband determinedly. She quickly stepped up to where Roy lay on the couch, her heart breaking at the cries coming from the young man. "Roy. Roy! Wake up! It's just a nightmare." Moira called to the young man. She was nervous to touch him at first, however, taking in his weakened state and his injuries she decided to take the chance.

Moira tentatively reached out and placed a gentle hand on Roy's shoulder, careful not to put too much pressure as his arm was still in a sling.

"Roy, you need to wake up!" Moira said forcefully. "Thea is fine. She is safe, you both are!" She continued to murmur words of comfort and encouragement as she gently shook Roy. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, but was only just a couple of moments, Roy's eyes popped open.

"Thea?" Roy asked upon waking.

"She is fine. She is safe and out with Felicity, Diggle, and Sara at the dress shop. She is unharmed and perfectly safe." Moira explained, trying to put Roy at ease.

Roy blinked several times after opening his eyes. He could clearly see Moira kneeling next to him with a hand on his shoulder and a look of concern on her face. For the first time Roy saw Moira for the mother that she was.  _Not even my own mother would comfort me like this._  He thought sadly as he fought to bring his breathing back under control and to move to a sitting position.

"You are fine Roy. You are safe and no one will hurt you here." Moira continued to murmur words of comfort to the young man. It pained her to know that he was struggling, especially when the nightmare was apparently about her daughter. "Do you want to talk about it?" Moira offered as she helped Roy who was struggling to sit up.

Roy sat and thought for a moment, unsure if he should tell Thea's mother about what had happened, about his nightmare. He finally decided that if he was going to do what he had been thinking about then he might as well tell her how he feels.

Moira looked up and met Walter's eyes while Roy gathered his thoughts. She could see that he was concerned for Roy as well. In the brief moment that their eyes met she heard her son returning from the back deck, probably due to the sounds of Roy's nightmare. Walter turned at the sound before quietly letting her know that he would hold off Oliver so that she could talk to the young man. She smiled her thanks before returning her attention to Roy.

"It was about my dad, and Thea." Roy started softly. He was a bit afraid to open up to Moira about this, however, he felt strangely comforted with her here next to him. He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing. "My dad abused me as a child and my mom was a drug addict so she never did anything about it." Roy admitted as he stared at his hands. "In my nightmare my dad had both Thea and I. He wasn't as much concerned with me because he knew that whatever he did to Thea would affect me. He..." Roy swallowed hard as the images from his nightmare replayed in his mind. "He hurt her, like he used to hurt me."

Moira felt a tightening in her chest as she listened to Roy. Her heart hurt for what this young man had had to endure as a child. No child should have to suffer, especially not at the hands of their own parents.

"Roy, I can't even fathom what your childhood was like. But I can tell you this." Moira said softly as she looked at the young man next to her, a young man plagued by his past. "Despite your past you have grown into a strong young man. Oliver trusts you with his life, as does the rest of the Team, and that is  _not_  something to take lightly. Your past is what has made you into who you are today." Moira smiled at Roy as he turned to look at her. "I may not have been the best mother to my children and I have done things that I am not proud of. But, I can honestly say that without those experiences I would not be able to be the mother I am today."

Moira took a deep breath to steady her emotions. She knew first-hand how your past could plague you. However, she also knew how it could make you stronger.

"Roy, since Oliver has come home I've learned three very important lessons." Moira could tell that she had Roy's full attention now. "The first is that no matter what you have gone through in your past, it defines who you are today. Oliver has been through things that none of us could even imagine, but look at what those experiences have done. He has grown into more of a man than his father or I could have ever hoped. The second is that you can't let your guilt overwhelm you. I know Oliver lives with guilt, I live with guilt, everyone does. But we can't let it consume us. Don't let it destroy you."

Roy closed his eyes and swallowed hard. Yes, he was dealing with guilt. Guilt over the fact that he wasn't able to get to the Team fast enough when Merlyn had them. Guilt over the fact that he hadn't been able to stop Slade from torturing his friends. Most recently, guilt over the fact that Thea had been captured, by his dad, and he hadn't been able to get her out of there sooner. Moira was right, the guilt could eat you alive. But, if what she was saying was true, then the only way to move on would be to let that guilt go.

"What's the third thing?" Roy asked curiously after a moment of silence.

"There is never enough time!" Moira stated sadly. "When Robert and Oliver left on the Gambit I thought I would see them both in just a few short weeks. There were things that were left unsaid. I honestly don't know if Robert knew just how much he meant to me, how much I loved him. And Oliver, my dear boy. I hadn't been the mother that he needed. When we got word that the Gambit was lost at sea I realized that I would never get the chance to tell them how much I love them. My time with them was gone." Moira took a moment to gather her emotions. She didn't need to break down in tears in front of Roy right now. "I learned that you can never take a single moment for granted. I thought I would have more time with my husband and my boy. I couldn't have been more wrong. I was given a second chance with Oliver, and I will  _never_  let a day go by without telling him how much I love him and am proud of him. Life is simply too short!"

"I've come to that realization recently too." Roy murmured. "I thought for sure that I was going to die having never had the chance to really tell Thea how I feel." He looked up and his eyes met Moira's. "I  _love_  your daughter and I will do anything for her."

"I can see how much you love Thea." Moira told Roy. "I know that your relationship didn't start in a conventional way, but I can see how much you care for her. You have already proven that you would do anything for my baby girl."

"I want to marry her." Roy whispered.

Moira gave Roy a small smile before looking up to Walter who had just come to stand behind her, his hands on her shoulders.

"I think she would like that." Moira said softly.

"I think that what Moira is trying to say is that you have our blessing." Walter commented with a smile.

"Thank you!" Roy said sincerely. "Now all I have to do is get permission from Oliver."


	49. Moving Forward

Oliver had come inside at the sound of Roy having a nightmare, only to be told to go away by Walter. Apparently his mother was handling it. He decided to go to the kitchen instead and wait for them to finish their talk. That is where he found Andrew.

"Hey Andrew. How are things going?" Oliver asked as he joined the younger man at the kitchen island, cup of coffee in hand.

"Good." Andrew answered with a smile. "Just got off the phone with Bruce Wayne. He said he has an IT job for me. I told him I need to stay here for at least a couple of weeks while Roy is recovering and he said that I can start any time I want, just give him a call. Thank you for setting this up for me Oliver. I really appreciate it!"

"No problem." Oliver answered with a smile.  _I guess that explains why he wasn't in the den with Roy then. He thought._

"My family's pretty excited too." Andrew continued. "They've missed me while I've been away."

"I bet."

"Oliver." Moira called from the doorway. She hated to break up the bonding going on, but Roy had asked to speak with Oliver. "Roy is asking for you."

Oliver gave a small nod before standing to grab a drink for Roy and heading to the den. He noticed the look of curiosity from Andrew on his way out but decided not to address it at the moment.

"Roy, you okay?" Oliver asked as he entered the den. Roy still looked exhausted despite the fact that he had been sleeping so much. He hoped that the younger man would start to get his energy back, soon.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Roy answered as he shifted in his seat. "Just tired."

"You want to go back upstairs?" Oliver asked. He was curious as to what Roy had wanted to talk to him about, but also knew it was more important that he was comfortable.

Roy took a moment to think about his answer. He really wanted to get this conversation over with, however, if they went upstairs there would be less of a chance of Thea coming home while they were talking. Not to mention her bed was more comfortable than the couch he was sitting on.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." Roy finally answered.

"Okay." Oliver stood and offered Roy a hand up. The younger man smiled at him in thanks and slowly rose to his feet.

Roy's ribs protested the movement from the couch, but he was happy that they didn't hurt as much as they had before. Oliver let him walk on his own, for which he was thankful for, but at the same time he wasn't more than a step away. Roy appreciated the silent support. They slowly made their way up the stairs and to Thea's room where Roy laid down again and sighed as he sunk into the nice fluffy pillows. He was tired!

"You look exhausted." Oliver observed, wondering if now really was the best time to talk to Roy.

"Yeah." Roy almost whispered. He had closed his eyes only for a second to relish the softness of the bed and now he wasn't sure he would be able to open them up again.

"How about I let you sleep and we can talk when you wake up." Oliver offered. He almost laughed as all he got from Roy was a grunt in response. He pulled the comforter up to Roy's chin before settling down on the nearby chair to make sure Roy didn't suffer from any more nightmares.

* * *

"Felicity, you look... just wow!" Thea said as Felicity exited the changing room with her wedding dress, shoes, and veil on. "You're going to stun my brother speechless when he sees you in that dress!"

"He is definitely going to be surprised!" Sara agreed with a smile. "John, no telling Oliver anything!" Sara threatened as she turned to Diggle who was standing guard not far away.

"Oh, trust me, my lips are sealed." Diggle answered with a smile. He knew that his partner was going to be floored when Felicity met him at the alter in just a few short days.

"You're sure it looks okay?" Felicity asked she turned one way and then another to get a good look of the whole ensemble in the mirror. "It's not too much color, or too form fitting? Is the length of the train okay, or is it too long? Are you sure Oliver will like it?"

"Felicity!" Sara, Caitlin, and Thea all called at the same time.

"Trust me, Oliver's going to love it!" Caitlin commented from her place between Thea and Sara.

"Okay. Thanks guys." Felicity finally stopped rambling. "Thank you so much for coming with me!"

"Anytime Felicity!" Sara said with a huge smile.

The women finished up the last minute details at the bridal shop, including setting up delivery time to the Queen Mansion for all the dresses. It wasn't until they were headed out to the car that Felicity finally had a moment to talk to Thea.

"Thea, are you okay? You look like something's bothering you." Felicity commented quietly as they walked side by side.

"I'm just worried." Thea answered quietly, looking at the sidewalk as they went.

"About Roy." Felicity said softly. "You worry enough yourself and it's easy to see it in others." She offered in explanation at the look of curiosity on Thea's face. "He really is going to be okay. He's going to be in pain for a while, but he has the best people looking after him."

"I'm afraid he's going to overdue things too quickly and hurt himself more." Thea confessed.

"That's always a concern with the men of Team Arrow." Felicity commented. "But, I can assure you, Oliver, Diggle, and Sara won't let him do too much too quickly. I promise. We look after our own!"

"I'm also worried that he's going to close himself off from me."

"He probably will. Oliver does every time. That's the toughest part about loving Oliver. But I've learned that even when he locks himself away from everyone else, he still needs me. So I am just there. I let him know that I am there for him, support him, and am willing to listen whenever he is ready to open up. It may not happen today, or tomorrow, or even next week. The key is just to make yourself available for when he does need you."

"You seem to be so knowledgeable on this." Thea commented as she looked to Felicity again.

"Well, after working with your brother for as long as I have..."

"Touche." Thea laughed.

"Shall we go home and check on our stubborn men?" Felicity asked.

"No! I say that we deserve a night out. First round of drinks are on me." Sara said as she turned around and walked backwards so she could look at the other women. "Come on, think of it as a pre-bachelorette party, party."

"Dig?" Felicity turned to their "bodyguard" for the night to see if he approved.

"I don't see why not. Let me just call Oliver to let him know we'll be out a little longer than anticipated." Diggle answered with a smile as he pulled out his phone to make the call.

* * *

Oliver couldn't help but laugh as he hung up the phone after his call with Diggle. The girls had apparently decided that they needed a night out and now he didn't expect to see them until at least two in the morning. He sinceriously hoped that they would have fun. Oliver leaned back in his chair and linked his hands behind his head as he looked back at Roy. The younger man seemed to be sleeping well and for that he was grateful. Andrew had stopped in just long enough to see how Roy was doing before going to his own room for some down time. The house was peaceful and quiet and Oliver relished the rare moment.

Roy slowly blinked his eyes open as he drifted out of his sleep. He felt well rested for the first time in days. He was still sore, in fact he still ached all over, however, he felt a million times better than he had any other time he had woken up since the day his dad came back to town.

"Roy?" Oliver asked quietly.

"Oliver, how long was I out?" Roy asked curiously as he started to sit up.

"About three hours." Oliver answered. "You seemed to have slept well. How do you feel?"

"A lot better actually." Roy answered as he leaned against the head board. "I feel human again."

"I know that feeling." Oliver laughed. They then sat in an awkward silence for a few moments while Roy was obviously gathering his thoughts.

"Oliver, I wanted to talk to you about something." Roy started. He was nervous now. It was time that he finally got up the courage to ask Oliver, but if he was honest with himself he was half afraid that Oliver would put another arrow in his knee.

"What's on your mind?" Oliver asked softly, not wanting to pressure Roy into anything.

"I've been thinking a lot the last few days." Roy said nervously. "I love Thea, more than I've loved anyone in my entire life. The last week I've learned that you're never guaranteed more time with someone. I don't want Thea to go another day without knowing how much she means to me, what I would do for her, how much I love her."

"What are you getting at Roy?" Oliver asked, amused. He had a feeling that he knew where Roy was going with this and he would be lying if he didn't want to make it harder on him.

"I wanted to ask your permission to ask Thea..." Roy swallowed hard and took as deep a breath as he could. "I want to ask Thea to marry me." There, it was out. He finally asked and now he just waited for the butt whooping that was sure to follow.

"You want to what?" Oliver asked, emphasizing each word clearly with an Arrow glare thrown in for good measure. He used all his self control not to laugh at the look of pure terror on Roy's face.

"I want your blessing to ask Thea to become my wife." Roy answered, making his request clearer, he hoped.

"And what if I say no?" Oliver asked as he crossed his arms in front of him.

"Well... I... Um..." Roy stammered. He knew that Oliver saying no was a possibility, he just didn't think he actually would.

"Roy, relax. I'm just messing with you." Oliver laughed at the look on Roy's face. "I know that you love my sister, you've proven that you would do anything for her, to protect her. The only thing I'll say is if you hurt my sister in any way I  _will_ come after you. Not just as Oliver the older brother, but as a pissed off Arrow. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." Roy whispered. He knew that if Oliver came after him as an angry Arrow then there was no place in the world he could hide. "I won't hurt her!"

"I know." Oliver smiled as he reached out a hand to Roy and they shook.

"I think I'm going to need a raise. For a ring." Roy commented after he shook hands with Oliver.

"About that. I have an idea." Oliver smiled. "When you're feeling better you can ride with me to the bank. There's something in our family vault that I want to show you."


	50. Brotherly Bonding

The next morning dawned bright and beautiful at the Queen Mansion. When Roy woke he saw a still sleeping Thea next to him. She had come in sometime in the middle of the night, laid down next to him, and quickly fallen asleep. Roy took that to mean that the women had had a good time out last night and he was happy that they had been able to enjoy some time together. He carefully pulled himself out of bed, trying his hardest not to wake Thea, and headed out the door. He met Andrew in the hallway.

"Morning Roy." Andrew greeted his younger brother with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired of people asking me how I'm feeling." Roy grumbled as he and Andrew began the climb down the stairs at a slow pace. He was still trying to be careful not to move to quickly and end up injuring himself again. "I'm a lot more rested and I'm starving." He finally admitted.

"I think we can handle that." Andrew said with a smile. He was beyond pleased that Roy was feeling better.

"Where is everyone?" Roy asked as the mansion seemed to be quieter than usual at the moment.

"Oliver, Diggle, and Barry are in the basement getting in a workout." Andrew told the younger man. "As far as I know the women are all still asleep. They were out until about two this morning partying according to Oliver." He said with a laugh.

"Sounds about right. Especially with Thea helping call the shots." Roy replied with a bit of a laugh.

The brothers walked in easy silence to the kitchen where Raisa provided them with a delicious breakfast of made to order omelettes and toast. Roy had never been more thankful to be pretty much living in the Queen Mansion than he was the last couple of days. Everyone had treated him like family and taken very good care of him.

The boys ate quickly and quietly, each enjoying their own meals. Andrew had some things that he wanted to ask Roy, but at the moment his food was too good. He knew he would get the chance sooner or later.

"You wanna go downstairs and check on Oliver, Barry, and Diggle?" Roy asked once he was done eating. He wouldn't mention that he was itching to be able to get back to training because he knew that they wouldn't let him do anything for a while. That didn't mean he couldn't watch the other men though.

"Sure, sounds like fun to me." Andrew answered, curious as to how things went when Team Arrow trained. Just as they were turning to head to the stairs to the basement Sara entered the kitchen.

"Hey guys, what are you up to?" Sara asked curiously as she saw Andrew and Roy together in the kitchen.

"We're just headed downstairs to watch Oliver and Diggle train. Don't worry, I'm staying off the mats." Roy told his Teammate.

"And off the Salmon Ladder. And away from the dummies, and the weights, and the punching bag."

"Okay Sara, I get the hint." Roy said irritably. "I'm just going to sit and watch. Promise."

"You better, or I'll let Thea kick your butt." Sara said cheerfully as she led the way downstairs.

"How is it you're up before all the others?" Andrew asked, wanting to ease the tension between the two by changing the subject.

"I can handle alcohol a lot better than I used to be able to." Sara explained. "I don't drink as much as I used to either. I don't allow myself to indulge too much to where it impairs my judgement and fighting ability." She told them honestly.

It was about all the group could do to not bust up laughing at the scene that came into view as they came to the bottom of the stairs. All three men were on the mats and Oliver currently had Barry in a head lock and the speedster looked like he was about to scream.

"Remember Barry, this is defense training. You're not allowed to use your speed!" Diggle reminded Barry who looked like he was about ready to run away and never come back.

"Oliver! What are you doing to our guest?" Sara asked, attempting to hide her smile.

"We're just working on some fighting techniques." Oliver commented as he let Barry go. "He needed some training so here we are."

"Why don't you let me take over for a few so you don't accidentally kill him." Sara commented as she joined the men on the mats.

"Finally, some relief!" Barry said under his breath as Oliver walked away from him.

"I wouldn't say that Barry." Diggle chuckled. "She may look smaller but she's faster, and very skilled. You can speed up with her but she's still going to beat you."

"Whatever." Barry commented with a smirk.

"Are they always like this?" Andrew asked Roy as they sat on a bench in the gym.

"No!" Roy answered as he met Andrew's eyes. "We don't get a chance to act like this very often. Usually we move from one mission to another without much rest."

"It must be exhausting."

"Sometime it is." Roy said quietly.

The brothers sat in silence for a few moments as they watched Team Arrow and the Flash training. Diggle had been right, Sara was kicking Barry's butt in sparring. But, the speedster was learning quickly. Diggle was watching, giving pointers as Sara and Barry sparred on the mats and Oliver put himself through a workout on the Salmon Ladder.

"So, tell me, how did you meet Thea?" Andrew asked curiously. He had been dying to hear the story and he figured now was as good a time as any.

"I stole her purse." Roy admitted a bit sheepishly as he looked down at his lap.

"You what?!" Andrew asked with a bit of a chuckle.

"I stole her purse. She was walking down the street with Laurel and I just grabbed her purse and ran." Roy stared off at the far wall as he recalled the story, a small smile on his face. "She followed me but couldn't catch me. My 8 ball key chain caught as I vaulted over a chain-link fence and she used that to track me down. The rest is sort of history I guess you could say."

"She loves you, that much is obvious." Andrew commented. He looked at Roy and they both smiled. "Now, tell me how you came to join Team Arrow."

"How much do you already know about me?" Roy asked, wanting to know what Andrew knew before he told the story.

"I didn't know anything about you. Dad was very specific on what he had me research. I spent a lot of time trying to hunt down your lair and tracking Felicity, but he didn't want me looking too deep into the Team. He figured that if we found the IT Tech, or the lair, we'd find the rest of you easy enough."

"Well, there was a guy that called himself the Savior. He was taking people and killing them on a live feed sent to the news stations." Roy started as he adjusted his sling. "He took me and was going to kill me but Oliver found me first. He saved my life that night and every night after that Thea, Sin, and I worked to find him. I felt like I owed him." Roy took a breath as he glanced at Oliver, who was now doing inverted crunches on the bar of the Salmon Ladder. "He wanted us to stay out of all things Arrow, but we wouldn't listen. He even put an arrow in my knee one night because I insisted on trying to go out and help him. I think he got an intense amount of satisfaction from pulling it out later as Oliver."

"Probably." Andrew laughed quietly as he noticed a smirk on Oliver's face at the comment. "What happened next?"

"The case he was working on at the time involved a man named Cyrus Gold. He had been injected with something called Mirakuru that made him stronger, healed him faster, and increased his rage. Apparently he was one of many test subjects and one of the only ones to survive the injection." Roy then looked down at his hands in his lap again. "I was captured again and injected with the Mirakuru as well. I would have died again that night if Oliver hadn't showed up. After that he took me under his wing and started to teach me how to control the drug."

"Is that when you found out he was the Arrow?" Andrew asked, noting the look of pain in his brother's eyes. Roy clearly still remembered the experience.

"No, it wasn't until we found a device like the one that initially leveled the Glades that I learned who the Arrow really was." Roy explained. "He had asked me to accompany him to the docks where the device was. We ran into a couple of guys and I was so blinded by my rage as we fought that it took Oliver talking to me as Thea's brother to pull me from it. I had almost beaten a man to death with my bare hands as Oliver tried to get into a shipping container to stop the device from detonating. Once my head cleared we were able to break into the container and blow up the device. Since then I've been working with him in some way or another."

"So how does the Mirakuru affect you now?" Andrew asked curiously.

"It doesn't." Roy answered quietly. "Slade Wilson made sure of that."

"Slade?" Andrew asked, more curious now than he had been before.

"You knew he had been in town. Did you know what he did while he was here?" Roy asked, now curious.

"No." Andrew answered honestly.

"He abducted Thea, Lance, Felicity, Sara, Oliver, and I. He cured me of the Mirakuru in front of Thea, who didn't even know about it until then, or the fact that I had been working with the Arrow. He beat Detective Lance with a thick, knotted whip leaving him bruised. He tried to drown Sara. Felicity got a tattoo thanks to him. Then he tortured Oliver with a long blade, his fists, and then whipped him. Slade would have killed Oliver if Felicity hadn't managed to get his own cure and use it against him." Roy told his brother who looked at him shocked.

"Who killed him?" Andrew asked quietly.

"No one killed Slade." Oliver commented as he walked towards the brothers. He had been half listening to their conversation and figured now was the time to step in as he and Diggle were the only ones that knew what had happened to Slade. "He is alive and well. He is simply in a prison, a long way away, where he can't hurt anyone."

"You mean Dad and David's vendetta was for nothing?" Andrew asked as he stood and faced Team Arrow. "I knew he was twisted, but this..."

"Andrew, how much did you know about what he did?" Roy asked, clearly referring to their dad.

"Not much, only what he wanted me to know." Andrew told them as he slowly paced in front of Roy and Oliver. "He threatened my family if I didn't do what he wanted. I learned that the more excited I seemed about what was going on, and the more closely I followed his instructions, the less he would threaten my family. So, I threw myself into the work completely and pretended that I was excited to do anything he asked of me."

"You were just protecting your family." Roy commented.

"We respect that." Oliver added with a small smile.

"Roy?"

Roy turned as he heard Thea's voice at the top of the stairs.  _She must have finally woken up._  He thought with a smile.

"I'm down here with the guys." Roy called, not bothering to even get up from his place on the bench.

A moment later Thea, Sin, and Caitlin reached the bottom of the stairs.

"I woke up and you were gone. I was worried." Thea told Roy as she leaned down to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"I'm fine. I just didn't want to wake you up so I came down here." Roy told her gently, with a hint of a smile.

"Oh, Oliver. Felicity is looking for you upstairs." Thea told her brother as she looked around the basement. Everyone she needed to talk to was down here, all they had to do was get rid of Oliver. Thea knew that Felicity was the perfect way to get him out of the gym.

"Thanks Thea." Oliver said with a smile as he pulled his sister into a hug before heading up the stairs in search of his almost wife.

Once Oliver was out of earshot, the entire group gathered around the bench were Roy and Thea were sitting. They knew they needed to nail down a couple of last minute details and Thea had effectively made it to where they had a couple of minutes to talk freely.

"Okay guys, let's talk final details for their bachelor and bachelorette parties tomorrow." Thea started with a smile.


	51. Patrol

Five minutes later the group in the home gym made their way up the stairs and headed to the den where they heard Oliver and Felicity talking with Moira and Walter. It sounded like they were simply finalizing wedding details and they all smiled.

"Diggle, I thought we'd go to the lair and go on patrol tonight." Oliver told his Teammate as he turned to address the group that had just come into the room.

"Sounds like a plan." Diggle commented with a smile.

"Can I come?" Barry asked, sounding like a kid in a candy store.

"To the lair yes." Oliver answered simply.

"On patrol?" Barry asked anxiously.

"We'll discuss it." Oliver answered, not giving Barry a real answer.

Diggle couldn't help the small chuckle at Oliver and Barry's discussion. He knew Oliver was probably getting on Barry's nerves just because he could.

"Let's go Oliver." Felicity rescued Barry with a hand on Oliver's arm and a smile.

Oliver turned to Felicity and gave her one of his real smiles, the ones he saved only for her.

"Okay. Mom, we'll be at the club. Just call Felicity if you need anything." Oliver told his mother.

"Be safe Oliver." Moira replied as she pulled her son into a hug. "All of you." She said as she turned to the rest of the group.

"We will mom." Thea said as she walked up to Moira and gave her a tight hug.

"Take care of your man too." Moira whispered into her daughters ears.

"I will." Thea smiled.

Team Flash and Team Arrow all left the mansion in a couple of cars for Verdant. The Teams were ready to get back to doing something useful other than simply sitting around the house with nothing to do.

Once they finally reached the lair the groups all piled out of the cars and headed inside.

"Roy, I'd like to check on your injuries once we get downstairs." Caitlin told the young man as she walked next to him into the club.

"Sure." Roy responded, already dreading the physical from the doctor.

"Sin, Thea, we are training when we get downstairs." Sara commented as she stepped between the two girls, putting an arm around each of them and flashing them a smile, leaving no room for discussion.

"Really?" Thea asked as a huge grin crossed her face.

"Really." Sara answered.

Thea turned to Roy and gave him the biggest smile he had seen in a really long time.

"You're way too excited about this." Roy commented softly to his girlfriend.

"If your training with Sara goes well then I'll work with you on the bow after my honeymoon." Oliver commented nonchalantly as he placed a hand on Felicity's lower back.

"You will?" Thea asked excitedly as she ran up to him and gave him a hug from behind.

"Yep, on one condition." Oliver answered as he turned to look at her.

"What is it?" Thea asked.

"Ask Roy, I'm sure he would be happy to tell you." Oliver smirked.

"Roy?"

"Hahaha!" Roy busted up laughing at the look on Oliver's face. Moments later he regretted the laughter as his entire chest started to hurt. "Oliver, don't make me laugh." Roy gasped.

"Roy, are you okay?" Thea asked worriedly.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Roy commented after a moment. "But you're going to be pissed when you realize what Oliver has in store for you."

"What are you talking about?" Thea asked.

"Let's go downstairs and I'll show you after Sara trains you." Roy offered with a smirk.

Sara, Diggle, Felicity, and Oliver laughed as they descended the stairs into the lair. They all knew what was in store for Thea and were all curious as to how she would take it.

After a couple of moments, and changing into workout clothes, the Teams moved to get to work. Sara, Sin, and Thea took to the training mats. Oliver went to the Salmon Ladder. Barry and Diggle stepped up to the training dummies. Cisco, Andrew, and Felicity sat down at her computers. Lastly, Caitlin and Roy went to the med area where Caitlin helped Roy strip out of his hoodie and shirt so that she could take a look at his injuries.

"How have you been feeling Roy? Really?" Caitlin asked as she started to change a couple of the bandages on his torso.

"I'm tired of people asking me that. But, I'm fine. I'm feeling a lot better." Roy replied.

"How is your breathing?" Caitlin asked.

"It's fine as long as people don't make me laugh." Roy answered with a smile.

"Yeah, I can imagine that would hurt." Caitlin smiled. She carefully checked his ribs and back to make sure his ribs were still in all the right places. As she looked at the bruising on his back she couldn't help but ask. "How did you get this big bruise across your back? It looks older than the rest."

"Do you remember the explosion just after the concert at the Starling City Theater?" Roy asked as he looked at the young doctor.

"Yes. You and Oliver helped rescue the Chief of Police and Detective Lance that night." Caitlin answered softly. She saw Andrew turn his attention to them and wondered if he knew what really happened that night.

"I was pinned under a beam when the second explosion went off in the office that the Detective and Chief were. A beam landed across my back and gave me a lovely bruise where my quiver sat." Roy explained. "It doesn't really hurt anymore. At least not compared to everything else."

"Well, you're going to have bruises for quite a while, but I'm happy to say that you are well on your way to a full recovery." Caitlin offered a small smile before helping Roy back into his shirt, hoodie, and sling.

"Caitlin?" Roy asked quietly as she turned to clean up.

"Yes Roy?"

"How long do I have to wear the sling?" Roy asked.

"Depends on why you are asking." Caitlin commented with raised eyebrows.

"I just..." Roy swallowed. He wanted to make sure it wasn't pure selfishness driving his question. "I don't want to be in a sling at the wedding." Roy whispered. "I don't want to ruin their pictures."

Caitlin offered Roy a small smile. She felt bad for the young man who had been through so much lately.

"I'll tell you what. You can go without the sling for the ceremony and pictures." Caitlin answered just as softly as Roy had spoken. "Once that is all over we'll reassess and see how you are feeling. If your shoulder hurts the sling goes back on for the reception. Does that sound okay?"

"Thank you!" Roy answered sincerely. He was thankful that she was so understanding.

Both teams spent the day training, playing around, and just getting to know each other better. Team Arrow and Flash had worked together before, but this was the first time they actually had to sit down and just talk.

At dusk Nyssa and Maseo came to the lair.

"Oliver, Sara and I have been discussing your upcoming honeymoon and I have a proposition for you." Nyssa said to the other archer. "As most of your trained team will be away or is injured I would like to offer the services of myself and Maseo. We will willingly watch over your city starting the night of your wedding until you return from your honeymoon."

"Nyssa..." Oliver started to respond.

"We promise not to take a life unless absolutely necessary." Nyssa commented, knowing what he was going to argue.

"Oliver, think about it. The Arrow can't just disappear the same time Oliver Queen does." Sara commented. She had talked to Nyssa at length about this and really felt like it was the right course of action.

"Thank you Nyssa." Oliver answered after a moment of silence, and a look to Diggle and Felicity. He couldn't say that it was his first option, but his first option currently had a sling and several injuries. He had hoped that Roy and Sara could hold the fort down, but now he needed to be willing to trust others with the job until Roy was healed enough to join back in the fight for the city.

"We'll only be a phone call away if you guys need us for anything." Barry commented with a smile. "I can get here pretty quick if you need help."

"Thank you Barry." Sara said with a smile as she looked to the young speedster.

"I can stick around until you guys get back and help out here in the lair." Andrew said quietly from his seat next to Felicity.

"Are you sure?" Roy asked as his eyes met Andrews.

"Yeah. It won't take long for Felicity to run me through things here. Besides." Andrew smirked at Roy. "Someone's gotta stick around to make sure you don't do anything stupid."

Everyone laughed at the mock look of hurt on Roy's face at that comment. Each person knew how right Andrew was as Roy was more like Oliver than either man would admit.

"Okay, well since we are mixing things up at the end of the week, I'd like Nyssa and Maseo to join us on patrol tonight." Oliver commented as he stood behind Felicity and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Andrew you can sit here and watch and learn from Felicity."

"Cisco and I will stay here in case any assistance is needed." Caitlin commented as she sent Cisco a knowing look. She knew he had a project in mind and this would be the perfect time for him to get it done.

"I guess I don't get a choice on what I do, do I?" Roy asked, already knowing the answer.

A resounding chorus of " _NO!"_  echoed around the lair causing Roy to chuckle.

"Thought so." Roy smiled. "That's okay, I have a lesson for Thea." He commented with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes as he met Oliver's gaze. His mentor smiled as well and gave a small laugh.

"Sin, I have an errand for you to run for me tonight." Sara told the younger woman softly. Sin smiled back at her, knowing exactly what needed done and nodded her head to let Sara knew she would take care of it.

"Okay. Digg, let's suit up." Oliver turned to his partner. Diggle smiled at him as he turned to the case that held his Overwatch gear.

"Let's go!" Diggle said with a smile.

Oliver, Sara, Sin, Nyssa, Maseo, and Diggle all left to start their patrol of the city. Each decked out in their respective leathers. Felicity sat down with Andrew and walked him through each program that she used, what it was for, and how her security system worked. Caitlin and Cisco retired to a back corner of the lair and began to work on a project, one they obviously didn't want anyone seeing.

"I guess that leaves us to get to work." Roy smiled as he turned to Thea.

"What are we going to train on?" Thea asked as she turned to Roy and placed her hands gently on his arms, pulling him close. "You can't spar."

"We're not sparring." Roy smirked. "Come over here."

The couple walked over to Roy's case of weapons. Someone had ensured that all his gear was returned to it's rightful place and Roy decided he would have to thank whoever had looked out for his stuff.

"Here, draw my bow." Roy commented as he handed Thea his red bow from the case. He caught the others in the lair watching him, curious what he was doing and how this would turn out for him.

Thea smiled as she held Roy's bow. It felt natural, like it belonged in her hands all along. She shifted it to her left hand and held the string with her right. She then attempted to draw the string back, however, she wasn't strong enough to draw it to its anchor point.

"Before you really train on how to shoot the bow, or even hit anything for that matter, you need to be able to draw the bow to its full anchor point. Until you can do that there is no use in Oliver training you on how to shoot." Roy commented after a moment. He took his bow and returned it to its rightful place in the case. He then turned and took her hand and walked slowly across the lair.

"We're going to work on building up your strength so that when Oliver is ready to train you, you are ready as well." Roy said as he stopped next to a table with a big bowl on it.

"How are we going to do that?" Thea asked curiously.

"We start by filling this bowl with water." Roy answered, attempting to hold a straight face.

"Okay?" Thea said as she went to fill the bowl with water.

As Thea walked away, Felicity met Roy's eyes and almost busted up laughing.  _It's probably better he's the one telling her this as she would probably hit anyone else. At least she can't hit Roy since he's still injured._  Felicity thought as Thea came back into view.

Once the bowl was filled Thea turned to Roy in anticipation. She was curious what the bowl of water was for, however, she was more excited about training to think too long about it.

"Okay Thea, this is where the real work begins." Roy commented. He directed her to stand in front of him. "Make sure you have a strong base." Roy directed with a smirk as she spread her feet a bit and looked like she was ready to hit something. "Now, raise you right arm with your elbow level with your shoulder and your palm flat." Roy directed. "Now, here's the most important part." Roy almost whispered in Thea's ear.

Felicity was doing all she could not to bust up laughing. Thea looked like she was ready to murder someone and Roy sounded like he was seducing her by talking so softly and in Thea's ear. Felicity was thankful she had the audio from the lair being transmitted to the earpieces that the Team in the field wore. Oliver was getting a pretty good laugh out of this. She could only imagine what he would do when he got back and she showed him the video of it. She glanced at Andrew and noticed that he was curious exactly where this was going.

"Now in one quick move, keeping your palm flat..." Roy instructed as he backed up a couple of steps. "Slap the water as hard as you can."

Thea did as instructed without even thinking. As soon as her hand made contact with the water it shot out of the bowl and doused her. She couldn't help the small scream of surprise as she was now soaked in water. She turned at the sound of Roy's laughter behind her.

"Harper!" Thea yelled.

"Hey! Can't hit me! Injured remember!" Roy said defensively as he raised his left hand to try and keep her from coming after him.

"What was that for?!" Thea yelled.

"Training." Roy said evenly. "The motion of you slapping the water will help build your strength in that arm. Trust me, it works." Roy explained, not missing the laughter filling the room. Thea looked like she was about to explode in anger.

"How would you know?" Thea asked, voice still raised. "Did Oliver put you up to this?"

"I know because I had to do the same thing." Roy explained as he stepped up to her, placing his left hand on her arm gently, hoping she had calmed down. "Oliver did it too when he learned how to shoot. It may seem unconventional but it works. If you don't believe me then tell me how you think I am able to now draw my bow to it's full anchor point so easily."

Thea listened to what Roy was saying. Maybe he was right, maybe this was the best way.

Andrew, Felicity, Caitlin, and Cisco all watched the couple and watched the myriad of emotions cross Thea's face. Each person wondered if she would go for it, or if she would call Roy a liar and walk away.

"So, you're saying that slapping a bowl of water is going to help me shoot a bow?" Thea finally asked after a minute of silent staring at Roy.

"Yes." Roy answered simply.

"Fine, I'll slap the stupid water." Thea said as she turned around to face the bowl again. "But, if I find out you're making this up..." She tuned back and pinned Roy with a glare. "There will be no place on earth you can hide from me. Injured or not!"


	52. Errands

Friday morning Team Arrow, Team Flash, two members of the League of Assassins, and one high ranking member of the Bratva gathered around the Queen family dining room table. They were enjoying a breakfast feast that Raisa cooked for them as the house was abuzz with an entire team of cleaners, decorators, and other staff. The mansion was being cleaned from top to bottom, furniture was being rearranged, and the back yard was undergoing a transformation for the wedding that would take place the next day.

The group of friends enjoyed this time together. They had very little to accomplish today and the thought was a relief. They could sit back, relax, and enjoy the next twenty four hours until Felicity and Oliver got married tomorrow in the backyard.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Barry asked with a grin to everyone around the table.

"I just have to meet with the florist for a few minutes at eleven. After that, I have nothing." Felicity answered from her seat next to Oliver.

"I don't have anything planned." Oliver answered as he squeezed Felicity's hand and smiled at her.

"Actually, Oliver, I was wondering if we could run that errand today." Roy commented as he looked to Oliver.

Oliver looked up and met Roy's eyes. He had a feeling that he knew what Roy wanted to do and he smiled and gave a small nod.

"We can do that." Oliver commented. "How about we go out about one?"

"That's perfect." Roy smiled in return.

"So, what do you want to do until then?" Thea asked as she looked around the table.

"I could use some help with moving some furniture." Moira commented from the doorway.

"Isn't that what we have people here for?" Oliver asked as he looked to his mom.

"Yes, but, it wouldn't hurt you to do some work to stay occupied." Moira smiled as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

The guys spent the rest of the morning helping to arrange the furniture in the house to Moira's satisfaction. The women all spent the time in the kitchen chatting with Raisa while they helped chop vegetables and prep things for the wedding reception the next day. Roy was the one doing the least amount of work as he 'supervised' the guys as they worked. He had never been more thankful that he was injured than he was right then as he had a very valid excuse to get out of doing the work.

* * *

"Roy, you ready to go?" Oliver asked, thankful that one o'clock had finally rolled around.

"Yeah, let me just say bye to Thea." Roy answered as he went to the kitchen in search of his girlfriend. "Thea, Oliver and I are going out now."

"Where are you going?" Thea asked curiously as she turned to her boyfriend.

"Doesn't matter." Roy replied as he pulled her in for a hug. "I'm taking him out then we'll meet the guys at the compound." Roy whispered into her ear.

"Oh." Thea whispered as a look of understanding crossed her face. "Have fun and I'll see you later then."

"I love you." Roy whispered before planting a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I love you too Roy Harper." Thea breathed as he pulled away. "Ollie! Don't let him get into trouble!" Thea called as Roy walked away.

Oliver simply laughed before leaning down to where Felicity sat at the kitchen island to give her a kiss goodbye. Both men then turned and walked out to head downtown. Once they were in the car Oliver finally confirmed where they were headed.

"So, I'm guessing you want to go see what I had to show you in the family vault then?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah, if you don't mind." Roy answered with a smile.

The two rode in silence as Oliver drove to Starling National Bank. Once they arrived they were quickly ushered to the section of the bank with the vaults. All Oliver had had to do was say a total of about three words before they had been ushered back.

"We'll let you know when we're through. Thank you." Oliver dismissed the guards once they had entered the Queen family vault. He then turned to Roy and smiled. "Thea loves coming in here and looking at all the jewelry that our family has acquired over the years." He told Roy as he walked to the back of the vault. "She's always been particularly fond of a ring that my great grandmother wore. Every time we would come in here she would try it on. It fits her perfectly."

Oliver carefully opened a drawer and Roy walked over to peek inside. There were several pieces of jewelry that lived in the drawer, however, only one caught his eye.

"She said she felt like royalty any time she would wear it. Even if only for one night." Oliver smiled as he faced Roy. "My mother even told Thea one time that should she ever marry she could have the ring as a wedding gift. I'm sure my mother won't mind if she gets it before the wedding." Oliver commented. He had already talked to his mom about the ring and knew that she was more than happy to allow Roy to use it as an engagement ring should he choose to do so.

"You don't think she'll mind that I didn't buy it?" Roy asked, worried about what Thea would think.

"I know she won't mind Roy. She loves you, and she adores the ring. I'm sure she will love wearing it as an engagement ring." Oliver commented.

Roy carefully picked the ring up out of the drawer. It was a gorgeous yellow gold ring with a round, deep red ruby in the center. Encircling the ruby were tiny diamonds. The band also had small diamonds inset in the band going three quarters of the way around it. He knew just by looking at the ring that it was something Thea would like, and if he were being honest with himself he liked it too. In fact, the color of the ruby almost matched that of his red leather that he wore as the Arsenal.

"It's perfect." Roy whispered as he held the ring carefully. "Thank you!" Roy turned and met Oliver's eyes.

Oliver smiled. He knew how happy this would make his sister. Apparently Roy was thrilled with the idea as well as his eyes were lit up just thinking about giving Thea the ring in his hand. He may not have always agreed with Roy, but, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that this young man loved his sister. Before long they would be more than just brothers in arms.

"Come on, let's go have them clean it for you." Oliver commented as he turned to the door.

The jeweler was able to clean the ring and place in it a small velvet box for Roy. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel like the king of the world at the moment.

"Where to now?" Oliver asked as the men settled in the car.

"How about the training compound." Roy suggested. "I think I heard Diggle say something about going by to plan some training for the security team."

"He didn't mention anything to me." Oliver commented as he turned the car in that direction.

"He mentioned it when you were talking with Felicity yesterday." Roy commented, hoping Oliver wouldn't see through the ruse. He smiled when he realized they were headed in the right direction, and a quick look at the dash clock told him that they were currently right on schedule.

* * *

"If I have to chop one more vegetable I think I'm going to go crazy!" Thea complained as they helped Raisa prep food for the reception the next day.

"I think I need to get out of this house." Caitlin commented from her place next to Thea.

"Hey, can we go to the club? I need to make sure they did inventory anyway." Thea said as she stood and washed her hands.

"That sounds great! Why don't we all go, get some fresh air." Felicity suggested. She was tired of being cooped up in the mansion too, and she could honestly use a bit of distance from all the wedding stuff going on around her. She needed a moment where she didn't have to think about all the details of the wedding tomorrow and could simply enjoy the fact that as of this time tomorrow Oliver would be her husband.

Thea went off to tell Moira where they were headed, at least that's what she told Felicity she was doing, before meeting Caitlin, Sin, Felicity, Nyssa, and Sara at the car out front. As they rode they talked about anything other than the wedding. They simply enjoyed some much deserved girl time once again.

Once they arrived at the club Thea jumped out of the car and ran inside as if the building was on fire. Sara, Nyssa, Sin, and Caitlin walked a bit slower, laughing at Thea's enthusiasm when it came to her club.

To say that Felicity was surprised when they walked in the door would have been an understatement. When she walked in she saw green and white balloons everywhere, a huge banner that said  _Congratulations_ hung above the bar, and several friends and family gathered nearby.

"Felicity!"

Felicity turned towards the voice and was shocked to see her mom standing there.

"Mom! I thought you weren't coming into town until late tonight." Felicity cried as she ran to meet her mom in a hug.

"I wanted to surprise my baby girl at her bachelorette party." Her mom said as she pulled Felicity tighter into a hug.

After a moment Felicity pulled back and looked around. Everyone that mattered to her was here. Thea, Sin, Sara, Nyssa, Moira, Laurel, and her mom were all here. It was a small gathering, but everyone here meant something to her.

"Guys, you didn't have to!" Felicity exclaimed as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

"We know, but we wanted to." Sara commented. "Shall we party?"

"One question. Are there going to be strippers?" Felicity asked, suddenly slightly worried.

"Goodness no dear." Moira laughed.

"We didn't want to risk Oliver's wrath if he found out." Sara answered.

* * *

Oliver pulled up to the gate at the Queen Consolidated Training Compound and entered in the code to open the gate. He didn't remember Diggle saying anything about coming by, but he had been a bit preoccupied recently. He didn't think much of it until he pulled up to the main building. As the guys got out of the car he felt as though something was off.

"Oliver, are you okay?" Roy asked, noting the tension in Oliver.

"I think someone's here." Oliver commented quietly.

"Yeah, Diggle should be here." Roy answered, hoping they hadn't made a mistake. "Why don't we just go find Dig and see what he's up to." Roy suggested as they moved inside.

The two men walked into the main building where Felicity had set up central command and the sight that greeted Oliver made him speechless. All his friends were gathered here, Maseo, Anatoli, Diggle, Roy, Barry, and Cisco.

"What's going on guys?" Oliver asked.

"Well, you can't get married without first having a bachelor party." Cisco answered for them all with a grin on his face.

"You didn't have to." Oliver whispered.

"We know. But we wanted to." Diggle commented as he walked towards Oliver. "Don't worry, we didn't get any strippers. We were honestly kind of worried about what Felicity would do if we did."

"Smart." Oliver smiled.


	53. Party Time

Felicity could not believe what the girls had done for her. All those who were close to her, who meant something to her, were here. Thea had closed down Verdant for the night so they had the whole place to themselves.

The women all sat around a large round table that had a huge green and white rose centerpiece with emerald accents on the table. Their meal was a fancy catered feast thanks to Moira's and Thea's planning. They also enjoyed delicious champagne with their meal. All were careful not to drink too much as they didn't want to suffer the effects of a hangover the next morning.

Moira spent over an hour regaling them with funny stories from Oliver's childhood, and Donna did the same for Felicity, completely embarrassing the bride. The group thoroughly enjoyed the evening of peace, laughter, and fun. Felicity was thrilled that they had been able to enjoy a nice evening, comfortable in jeans, with a simple gathering like this. If she had chosen for herself, this was exactly the kind of bachelorette party she would have wanted.

After dinner was served, and stories were told, Felicity was presented with a myriad of gifts, most of which only Oliver would know about after this evening. She couldn't help the blush that crept up at the thought of what her almost husband would think of the gifts she had been given and decidedly kept her mouth shut in case she said something that would embarrass her further.  _I guess I'll find out tomorrow._  She thought as she smiled thinking about her wedding night, just twenty four hours away.

* * *

Oliver had been smiling since the moment that he and Roy had entered the building. He couldn't believe that the guys had gone through the trouble of putting a bachelor party together for him. When he started his crusade he had been alone, he had planned on doing it  _all_  alone, and now he had Teammates, friends, family. All of whom were here for him right now. Knowing that this many people cared about him made him realize just how lucky he was to have such a great Team, and great friends in his life.

"Is it time to play yet?" Cisco asked after a moment of conversation.

"What is he talking about?" Oliver asked as he turned to Diggle. The older man had quite the smirk on his face.

"We have a little fun planned for tonight." Diggle answered as he reached down to pick up a heavy black case, setting it on the table in front of them. "We're going to break up into teams and use these." Diggle smiled as he opened the case, revealing the stash of paintball guns inside.

"You're kidding me!" Oliver exclaimed.

Diggle and Roy laughed at Oliver's tone of voice. He sounded like a little kid at Christmas who couldn't wait to play with his toys.

"Now, before you all get too excited let's break up into teams." Roy commented with a huge grin on his face. "Oliver, you will be on a team with Anatoli and Cisco. That leaves Barry, Maseo, and Diggle for the other team."

"Barry, you're not allowed to use your speed. That would put most everyone else at a disadvantage. Play fair!" Andrew commented with a smirk, noting the sad look on Barry's face for a moment.

"There are red and green paintballs." Roy told the group. "I'll let you guys decide which team gets which color. Although I suspect I already know the answer to that." He said with a smirk.

"What are you going to do Roy?" Oliver asked, feeling bad that Roy wouldn't be able to participate.

"Andrew and I are going to stay here and keep score, as well as make sure that there is no cheating going on." Roy answered as he gave Oliver and Barry a pointed look. He could see what Oliver was thinking and wanted to put his mind at ease.

"We have a few hours to play before Detective Lance and Walter are going to join us for dinner." Andrew commented as he sat down and fired up the computers.

"We'll be monitoring you on the security cameras that Felicity so conveniently has covering every inch of the compound." Roy added. "Scoring will be as follows. Two points for a shot in an arm or leg. Five for anywhere on the back or stomach. Ten points for a shot to the heart. Head shots will disqualify you and cost your team fifty points."

"In other words, no head shots." Andrew added.

"Any other rules we should be aware of?" Maseo asked curiously. He was anxious to see how this game would play out. He was pretty sure that his team would beat Oliver's and he was ready to test his theory.

"Have fun!" Roy answered with a smirk.

Both teams quickly grabbed their weapons and paintballs, Oliver's team choosing the green ones and Barry's choosing the red ones. No one was surprised at the choices. Once each team had their guns, Andrew and Roy handed out the safety glasses and jackets for each team. The jackets would provide a little protection in order to keep anyone from getting bruises from the paintballs, as well as keep their clothes from getting a ton of paint on them.

Once the teams were suited up Roy sent them out to opposite ends of the compound. As the teams made their way to their respective starting points, Roy went and grabbed the large bag of popcorn and the drinks that Andrew had brought for them to enjoy while the guys played. He settled into the chair next to Andrew and the brothers shared a small laugh when their eyes met.

"This is going to be epic isn't it?" Andrew asked as he opened the two beers that Roy had brought over for them.

"You have no idea." Roy answered as he tapped his bottle to Andrew's. "To messing around like five year olds."

"To family and friends." Andrew added.

Both men took a drink before turning back to the computer monitors in front of them.

"Okay, are both teams ready?" Andrew asked into the intercom system. He waited for a thumbs up from both teams before beginning the countdown. "Three, two, one...GO!"

As one both teams burst into action. Roy and Andrew spent the next two hours watching, making sure there were no cheaters, laughing, and simply enjoying being here to see how much fun Oliver and the rest of the guys were having. Finally, Detective Lance and Walter arrived with dinner, Big Belly Burger, the chosen food of heroes.

"Time to bring it in guys. Food's here." Andrew called over the intercom.

Roy helped the men gather enough chairs for everyone and get the food and drinks laid out. The rest of the guys slowly trickled in, spotted in red and green paint from their battles in the compound. They were laughing and obviously enjoying their time together.

Oliver couldn't stop smiling. He had just had the most fun he could ever remember having. The group joined Walter and Detective Lance around a makeshift table and they all dug in to the burgers before them. It didn't take long for the food to disappear. Once finished Oliver leaned back in his chair and looked at the group gathered around him.

"Thank you!" Oliver said sincerely after a moment. All eyes turned to him and each man offered him a small smile. "You all have been there for me, through good and bad, no matter how stubborn or stupid I've been." Oliver took a moment and swallowed. "When I came back from those five years away I never thought I'd have friends back here, much less friends that I considered family. I don't know what I'd do without you! Thank you!"

"I think it is time for a toast." Anatoli commented as he rose, gathered a bag on a nearby table, and unloaded the contents onto the table before them. Each man received a shot glass before Anatoli set two bottles of Russian vodka on the table before him. He met Oliver's eyes, and smile. "The drink of choice for any toast." He commented as he began to fill each of the glasses on the table.

Once each man had a drink before him they all looked at each other for a moment, each not sure who would start, or what to say.

"To friends." Cisco started as he raised his glass. Each man around the table nodded in agreement.

"To bravery." Detective Lance added, raising his glass as well.

"To family." Walter commented with a raise of his glass.

"To making a difference." Barry said quietly, adding his glass to those that were raised.

"To honesty." Maseo added, also raising his glass.

"To stubborn protogés." Anatoli almost laughed, not missing the look that passed between Oliver and Roy at his comment. His glass joined the rest.

"To brothers." Diggle smiled, sharing a knowing look with Oliver as he raised his glass.

"Agreed." Andrew said as he raised his glass.

"To Oliver, for believing in me." Roy said quietly as he looked at the clear liquid in his glass as he raised it to join the others.

"To love." Oliver said finally, raising his glass to join the others in a toast. "Prochnost!"

"Prochnost!"


	54. Flashback

It was as Roy stepped out of Thea's bathroom later that evening that he caught sight of himself in her mirror. He was in the process of changing into a clean shirt before going in search of his girlfriend to make sure she didn't need help with any last minute details, but, the sight in the mirror stopped him dead in his tracks. He walked over and stood in front of the mirror, unable to tear his eyes away from the fresh marks on his chest. The cuts and bruises brought back everything that had happened over the last few days. He could feel his heart rate increasing, his breathing becoming faster, but he couldn't get the images of the Dealer standing before him, pointing a gun at Andrew and Thea, out of his head.

"Roy?" Thea asked tentatively. She and Andrew had come in search of Roy and found him standing in front of her mirror, looking like he was having a flashback.

"Roy? Are you okay?" Andrew asked as he walked over to his brother, carefully placing a hand on his arm.

Roy started out of his daze. He managed to control his reaction and not swing out at his brother, but he did take a step back from him. It took a moment for him to realize that Thea was in the room as well.

"Roy, are you okay? Are you in pain?" Andrew asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Yeah... fine." Roy stated simply. As he looked at Thea and Andrew he could see how concerned they were and he was suddenly brought back to the look on their faces just after he had killed the Dealer. "I'm sorry."

Thea met Andrew's eyes, both were confused as to what Roy would be apologizing for.

"Why are you sorry Roy?" Thea asked as she walked over to her boyfriend.

"I killed him." Roy answered simply.

Andrew finally realized what was currently eating at Roy.

"You had to Roy. You didn't have a choice." Andrew commented softly. "Our dad, the Dealer, was a monster. He did things that no one should even think of. He killed people, tortured people, and abused his own children. He was threatening people who were close to you and that was the only way you could save us." Andrew told Roy, noting that Thea agreed with what he was saying.

"Roy, talk to me." Thea pleaded as Roy refused to look at her.

"You think I'm a monster." Roy said sadly.

"NO!" Thea declared. "Roy Harper, you look at me!" She demanded.

Thea waited until Roy turned and looked at her. The look in his eyes broke her heart as she could see that he truly believed that she would think he was a horrible person.

"Roy, I am so sorry that you had to kill him." Thea started softly. "I know it has to be eating you up and I wish that there was something that I could do to take your pain away. But I can't."

Roy didn't know where Thea was going with this, but he could feel his heart breaking a little more each moment.

"Yes, you had to kill a man." Thea continued. "But you're not the only one to have had to kill a man in order to protect people that you love. Oliver, Diggle, Sara, Nyssa, they have all had to kill. They do it to protect people. Sometimes you just don't have a choice." Thea carefully reached out and placed a hand on Roy's cheek and smiled just a bit when he leaned into her touch.

"I love you Roy Harper. I have since the day you stole my purse." Thea told him, allowing him to see and hear her emotions. "Nothing on this earth can change that!"

"Thank you." Roy said softly as he closed his eyes and swallowed. He had needed to hear that, and it seems that Thea knew that. He knew that there was a reason he loved her. "I love you too Thea."

"Are you going to be okay?" Andrew asked after a moment.

"Yeah, it'll take a while but I'll be fine." Roy admitted as he turned to his brother.

"Roy? I have your tux for tomorrow." Diggle said as he entered Thea's room. He didn't miss that  _something_  was going on.

"Come downstairs when you're ready. There's a couple things we still need to do tonight." Thea said quietly as she reached up and gave Roy a quick kiss on his cheek.

"I didn't mean to interrupt." Diggle commented after Andrew and Thea walked out of the room.

"It's fine Digg. You can hang that on the closet door." Roy commented as he purposefully turned away from the mirror in the room.

"Need help with a clean shirt?" Diggle asked, once the tuxedo was neatly hung.

"Sure." Roy answered, picking up his clean shirt.

"You know, no one expects you to be over this immediately." Diggle commented as he helped Roy ease the shirt over his injured shoulder. "I know you may not want to now, maybe not even soon, but if you need to talk about it you can always come to Sara, Oliver, or I. We'll always listen."

"You're right. I'm not ready yet." Roy commented quietly. "I don't know if I will be anytime soon to be honest."

"That's fine. Just know that we've all been through things, seen things, and we can help. All you have to do is come to us." Diggle told the younger man as he helped adjust Roy's sling.

"Thank you." Roy said sincerely as he turned to meet Diggle's eyes. "That means a lot to me."

"Come on, I think Thea's waiting for our help." Diggle said with a smile as the men turned to go downstairs.

* * *

"Hey beautiful." Oliver said softly as he walked up behind Felicity. He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and buried his nose in her hair. "Will you take a walk with me?" He whispered.

"Sure." Felicity smiled as she turned to face Oliver, his arms staying around her waist as she turned. "Where are we going?"

"To the garden." Oliver answered simply before leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her lips.

The couple walked hand in hand down the stairs and out the back door to the garden. They could see where the Chuppa was placed for the wedding ceremony tomorrow and Felicity could easily see where the chairs would be placed for the small gathering of their family and friends. They walked slowly, enjoying the peace and quiet of the Queen garden, the fresh air around them, and simply having the one they loved walking next to them.

"I just wanted to get some fresh air, and have a few minutes with my almost wife before we part ways until tomorrow." Oliver stated as they stopped at a bench. He sat down and pulled Felicity close to him when she sat next to him. He looked down and ran a finger over her engagement ring. "I can't wait for you to be mine." Oliver told her.

"I am yours." Felicity laughed.

"You're my girl." Oliver smiled as he looked at her. "I can't wait for you to be my partner in life, my wife, my lover." He finished with a whisper right next to her ear.

 _Oh my!_  Felicity thought as she could see the desire smoldering in Oliver's eyes. They had waited, surprisingly, because they each wanted the other to know that they were cherished for more reasons than just the physical. Felicity was glad that they had waited, it would mean so much more to them tomorrow night. She simply looked in his eyes and smiled. She loved this man, so very much, and she couldn't wait to be his wife - and everything that that entailed.

"I can't wait either!"


	55. Nerves

Moira woke early on Saturday morning, her mind already running a million miles an hour with all the details that still needed to be finished before the early afternoon wedding in the back garden. She couldn't describe the emotions she was feeling right now even if she had wanted to. She was thrilled for Oliver and Felicity. She never would have imagined that her son would find such a remarkable woman. They complimented each other so well, in so many different ways, and she couldn't be happier of her son's choice in a spouse. But, she also felt a sense of loss creeping in when she thought about the fact that her son would soon belong to another woman.

She quietly slipped out of bed where Walter still lay sleeping and softly made her way down to the kitchen where Raisa was already busy at work. Moira gratefully accepted the warm mug of coffee offered to her as she sat down at the island in the kitchen and relished the warmth from the mug in her hands.

"Mom?" Oliver asked as he entered the kitchen. "What are you doing up so early?" His mother was not who he had expected to be up this early on this day.

"I could ask you the same thing." Moira responded with a smile as her son sat down next to her. He had obviously been in the gym downstairs as she could see the sheen of sweat soaking through his shirt.

"I couldn't sleep." Oliver admitted before thanking Raisa in Russian for the warm cup of coffee she offered him.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to you speaking flawless Russian." Moira told her son. "Why couldn't you sleep? You aren't second guessing yourself are you?"

"I also speak pretty good Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish." Oliver admitted with a smile, enjoying the look of surprise on his mother's face. "And no, I could never be more happy than I am when I am with Felicity. I think it's just nerves. I've never committed to  _anything_  like I'm committing myself to Felicity. It's just a huge step and I worry that I'm not good enough for her, that I won't be the husband that she needs me to be." He told Moira as he looked at the dark liquid in the cup in his hands.

"Oh my beautiful boy." Moira turned and placed her hands on each side of Oliver's face, turning him to look at her. "Felicity loves you more than I've ever seen one person love another, and I _know_  that you love her just as much. If Felicity thought that you weren't the right choice for her I don't think she would have said yes when you offered her that gorgeous ring, much less let you get to that point. She has stood by you through thick and thin, good times and bad, happiness and sadness. She  _chose_  you Oliver, and you her. I don't think that there is anything on earth that would keep her from loving you."

"You're right. She does love me, and honestly there are times when I can't understand why." Oliver said as he opened up to his mom. "I mean, look at me. I'm scarred both physically and emotionally. I've killed people, some right in front of her. I've tortured people. I'm not worthy of a love as pure as hers." He stated as he looked back down to his hands.

"That's where you're wrong Oliver." Moira told her son gently. "She loves you because despite everything that you've gone through in the past, despite all the things both good and bad that you've done, you are still a good person. Think about it Oliver! Do you honestly think that she didn't see through your ridiculous lies when you first sought her out?" Moira couldn't help the laugh that escaped at the shocked look on Oliver's face as his head shot up to look at her. "A bullet ridden laptop, an energy drink, a scavenger hunt." Moira listed. "We've talked about your  _wonderful_ cover stories."

"I suck at cover stories." Oliver commented with a hint of a smile.

"Yes, you do." Moira laughed. "My point, Oliver, is that she loves you. She  _knows_  you're going to be a good husband because you've already proven to be capable of it. You protect her, love her, provide for her. Oliver, you make her smile, laugh, and enjoy life. But, you've also been there for her in the bad times, with Malcolm, and Slade, and goodness knows how many other bad guys before that." Moira reached out and placed a hand gently on Oliver's arm. "Oliver, I know you're going to be an amazing husband."

"How? How are you so sure?" Oliver asked, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Because, you are your father's son."

With that Moira stood and headed back upstairs to her room, leaving her son to think in peace. She wasn't surprised that he was nervous, scared even, that he wasn't going to be good enough for Felicity. If only she could help him see that he was the  _perfect_  person for her, he had already proven it.

* * *

Felicity's eyes shot open as the sun started to peek through the curtains in the guest room that she and her mother were staying in. She had been sharing a room with Oliver for quite a while, even if they hadn't  _slept_  together, however, both wanted to stick to the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride until she walked down the aisle on her wedding day. It felt strange waking up without him next to her, however, a huge grin spread across her face as she realized that today was the day,  _the day_ , that she would finally marry the love of her life, her Prince Charming, her knight in shining armor.  _Or green leather._  She thought with a laugh.

She sat up and swung her feet over the side of her bed. Felicity then stretched both arms over her head and let out a deep yawn. She let out a small laugh as her mother groaned and turned over in the bed across the room from her. Donna Smoak had never been a morning person, and today was no exception. As she brought her hands down into her lap she couldn't help but notice how the small stream of light from the window caught the emerald in her engagement ring and shot little spots of green light around the room. Some people might call her crazy for wearing the color of the Arrow when she was marrying the man under the hood. But, she couldn't think of anything more fitting. It was what she had wanted and he had known. It was perfect for them.

Felicity slid the ring off her left ring finger and looked at the engraving inside of it.  _My girl. Always!_ She laughed as she remembered when he had given her the ring. It had been so perfect, romantic, and he had been  _so_  nervous. She laughed as she remembered the big bad Arrow, vigilante and hero of Starling City, nervous as he dropped to one knee in front of her. He would always be a hero, but he would also always be hers.  _My hero, always!_ She thought with a smile and a glance to a small velvet box on her nightstand.

A soft knock echoed from the door and Felicity stood and slowly walked over to see who was there. She smiled as she opened the door to find Thea, Sara, and Sin standing outside with a tray of coffee mugs in hand.

"Come on in guys. Mom's not quite awake yet though." Felicity greeted her friends, her smile growing wider. She quickly plucked a coffee mug from the tray as Sara passed her with it.

"So, today's the big day. Are you ready to marry my big brother?" Thea asked as she plopped down on Felicity's bed.

"Yes!" Felicity answered quickly, a look of bliss on her face.

"Good, cause we are t-minus six hours." Thea informed her almost sister in law.

"Six hours?!" Felicity gasped as her eyes widened. "I need to start getting ready. I'm never going to be ready on time. I still have to shower, then we have hair and make up, not to mention I need to get dressed. Then we have pictures..."

"Felicity!" Donna said as she sat up in her bed, her hair still all over the place from sleep. She stood, went to her daughter, grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes with a smile. "Calm down sweetheart. You have plenty of time to get all dolled up for that man of yours. Sit down, drink your coffee, and just breathe for a moment. Once you've enjoyed your coffee then you can take your time in a nice, hot shower. By then the hair and makeup artists will be here and we can start getting you ready. Take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy your day. Soon you're going to be marrying the man of your dreams, so just  _enjoy this day_!"

"Yes mamma." Felicity breathed quietly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her mom was right, this was her day. She should enjoy every second of it because today marked the start of her happily ever after.


	56. Countdown

_**T-Minus 4 Hours** _

Diggle was having a hard time containing his amusement. Oliver was restless, pacing, nervous. Sure, Diggle had seen his younger partner all of the above before, however, never all at the same time. One would think that the Arrow would be capable of keeping his nervousness in check. The only things that Diggle could see Oliver doing was rubbing the fingers of his right hand together, as if itching to hold his bow in his hand again.

"Oliver, man, you've got to settle down." Diggle stopped his friend in his tracks with a hand on his shoulder.

"What?" Oliver asked surprised, looking to Diggle.

"You're going to pace a hole in the floor if you don't stop pacing." Diggle told him with a laugh. "What are you nervous about? Do you think she's going to ditch you at the alter or something?" Diggle asked.

"No. She wouldn't do that to me." Oliver told his best man. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "I just can't wait to see her. Today is the start of our new life together, she's going to look  _amazing_  and I have to wait to see her!"

"You're not a very patient man." Roy commented as he entered Oliver's room, followed closely by the men from the tuxedo shop. "Tuxes are here."

"Guess it's time you calmed down and get dressed then Oliver." Diggle said with a smile.

The men got dressed in their tuxedos, Andrew assisting Roy when necessary, before they needed to head downstairs to get a start on the pre-wedding pictures that Felicity wanted.

* * *

Caitlin knocked gently on the door to Felicity's room. She didn't want to just barge in as she didn't know what the girls were currently doing, however, something had just been delivered that she thought Felicity would want to have.

Sara opened the door to Felicity's room and smiled when she saw Caitlin, and the women carrying their dresses behind her. She knew that Felicity was anxious to get to the alter. This just meant that they were one step closer to taking that walk.

"Felicity, look who, and  _what_ , is here." Sara said as she stepped aside to allow room for the group to enter the room.

"MY DRESS!" Felicity squealed when she caught sight of the garment bags.

"I can't wait to see you in it." Donna commented from where she was perched on her bed eating the breakfast that had been sent up for the girls.

"I can't either." Moira stated from the door to the room, a huge smile on her face. "But first, we have hair and makeup to do."

"How long do we have before it starts?" Felicity asked, suddenly nervous again.

"We have plenty of time." Moira said with a smile. "You have a wedding coordinator for a reason. She will keep you on track so you don't have to worry about  _anything_  today."

"Mom's right. You need to just have a seat, enjoy being pampered, and daydream about how handsome my brother's going to look in his tuxedo." Thea commented with a huge smile on her face. She knew she couldn't wait to see Roy in his tux, and could only imagine that Felicity felt the same about Oliver.

"Miss Smoak, if you are ready we are prepared to get started on your hair and makeup."

Felicity smiled at the women who were here to pamper her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before answering.

"Let me just brush my teeth and then we can get started." Felicity finally answered, after she had calmed herself down. She was  _so_  ready to meet Oliver under the Chuppa. "Let's do this."

* * *

_**T-Minus 2 Hours** _

Moira walked back into the house with Oliver by her side. They had just finished some pre-wedding pictures in the garden, but now Oliver had to go back to his room to keep from seeing Felicity as she went out to get some pictures taken as well. She couldn't help but think about how handsome Oliver looked in his black tuxedo with the dark green tie and vest. He looked so much like his father at this moment and she couldn't help the brief sadness that she felt, knowing that Robert would never get to see Oliver this happy, marrying the woman of his dreams.

"Mom, are you okay?" Oliver asked as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes. I just wish your father could see you today. You're  _so_  happy!" Moira commented as she worked to ensure the threatening tears didn't mess up her carefully applied makeup.

"I miss him." Oliver admitted as he pulled his mom into a tight hug. "But, I also know that he wouldn't want us to be sad today. He'd tell us that today is a happy day so no tears, just enjoy it."

"You're right." Moira agreed. "Then we will honor him by only allowing tears of happiness." She told Oliver. "Now, you get upstairs. Your bride will be coming down for pictures soon and you  _can't_  see her yet!"

"Are you sure I can't just take a peek?" Oliver asked playfully.

"NO!" Thea answered as she descended the stairs on the other side of the foyer. "You are  _not_  allowed to see her for another two hours. Diggle, take him to his room please! We're running late for pictures."

"Yes ma'am." Diggle smiled as he grabbed Oliver's arm and guided him up the stairs. "Don't worry Oliver, she's worth the wait."

"I know... I just wish the wait wasn't so long." Oliver pouted as he was chased into his room.

* * *

Felicity, Thea, and Sara all managed to make it through getting their pictures done without any interruptions. Sara had been slightly surprised that Oliver hadn't tried to sneak a peek at Felicity, but she knew that Diggle was keeping Oliver locked in his room. She would have almost paid money to be a fly on Oliver's wall right now as he was probably pacing - again.

Caitlin, Sin, Thea, and both mothers watched as Felicity posed for pictures. Her bridal portraits were going to be simply amazing. She was a stunning bride.

"That dress is perfect." Donna whispered as she watched Felicity pose with her back to the camera, holding her bouquet of white roses down to her side. She was looking down at her bouquet and the sunlight was catching her golden hair just perfectly. She looked like an angel.

"She chose well." Moira agreed. "Oliver will be stunned when he sees her walking towards him."

"She's going to be speechless when she sees him too." Thea added with a smile. "I've seen him in a tux before, but there's something about the way he looks today."

"It's because he's finally happy." Sara added her opinion. "I don't think I've ever seen him so happy, or Felicity either for that matter."

"They certainly do make quite a pair don't they." Caitlin commented. "I'm going to run up and make sure Roy doesn't need any pain medication. I'll meet you all back in Felicity's room shortly." She told the group as she turned towards the house.

"Caitlin." Thea called as her new friend walked away.

"Don't worry Thea, he's fine." Caitlin reassured Thea with a smile. She knew the younger woman was worried, she would be too if it was Ronnie in the same condition. However, she also knew how stubborn men could be and that there was no way that Roy would allow his injuries to keep anyone from having a good time today.

"We're finished with the pre-wedding pictures." The wedding coordinator told the group as Felicity joined them. "Guest will be arriving soon so we should get back inside."

The women made their way inside once more and headed back to the rooms upstairs to await final word that it was time for the ceremony to start. As she climbed the stairs Felicity found herself wondering if Oliver was going to make it to the ceremony without having to go down to the Salmon Ladder to work off some of his nerves. That thought brought a smile to the bride's face and she replayed images of her groom training on the Salmon Ladder shirtless until it was time to go meet him at the Chuppa.

* * *

_**T-Minus 10 Minutes** _

"Thea, I need to speak to Oliver." Felicity told her almost sister-in-law.

"You're not supposed to see him before the ceremony Felicity." Thea gently chided.

"I know, but I have something I need to give him." Felicity replied as she picked up one of the two small velvet boxes on her nightstand. "I have a wedding present for him." She said softly with a smile.

"Okay, I'll go get him. We'll just have to find a way to keep him from seeing you." Thea commented as she turned to leave. "Maybe the wedding planner has an idea." She mumbled on her way out the door.

It was moments later that Thea met the photographer and wedding planner in the hallway. She told them that Felicity wanted to speak with Oliver, give him a present and the photographer smiled and gave a suggestion. He had plenty of experience with the couple wanting to speak before the wedding, without seeing each other, and there was a great photo opportunity in that. They all agreed to bring the couple downstairs and they would allow the exchange in the den.

The photographer went to go get Oliver, while Thea went to get Felicity, quickly pulling her into the den before the groom appeared at the top of the stairs.

"We chose to bring you to the den because even though there are no doors you can still talk without seeing each other." The wedding planner told Felicity as she moved the bride into position. "You will stand on this side of the wall, Oliver on the other and you can talk. Just make sure not to move any farther forward or he'll see you. You should both be able to reach around the wall so you can give him what you need to."

"Thank you." Felicity was beyond grateful for this small moment that she would get with her groom. It was moments later that she heard the men coming down the stairs.

"We'll meet you outside Oliver." Diggle told his friend. He had a suspicion about what Felicity wanted with his partner and was happy that they had found a moment in the chaos to spend together.

"I'll come back for you two in a couple of minutes." The wedding planner told the couple after positioning Oliver just on the other side of the wall where Felicity stood.

"Oliver?" Felicity quietly asked as the planner stepped away to allow them privacy.

"Felicity!" Oliver breathed. Just hearing her voice calmed his nerves. "Can you believe it's almost time?" Oliver asked as he placed a hand on the wall, wishing he could hold her in his arms.

"I know, we've waited so long for this moment, and now it's practically here." Felicity answered as she placed her left hand on the wall. The simple gesture making her feel even closer to her groom.

"You asked to talk to me?" Oliver asked quietly after a moment.

"Yes! I have something for you. A wedding present." Felicity smiled as she spoke. She held a small velvet box around the corner for Oliver.

Oliver looked down and noticed the small box in Felicity's hand. He smiled and reached out for it, not missing the electricity that coursed through him as his hand touched hers, even for the briefest of moments.

"You didn't have to Felicity." Oliver whispered as he looked at the small box in his hands.

"I know, but I wanted to." Felicity answered with a smile.

"Well, since you've given me something... I only think it fair that I give you something as well." Oliver said softly as he pulled a long velvet box from his pocket. "I was going to ask Diggle to bring this to you, but since I have the chance to talk to you I'd rather do it myself." Oliver told her as he held the box out for her.

Felicity held her breath as she took the box that Oliver offered her. It was a long, slender, black velvet box. Much like the one a jeweler would put a diamond necklace in when one was bought.

"Open them together?" Oliver asked.

"One, two... three." Felicity counted down.

As soon as Felicity said three both her and Oliver opened the boxes that they had been given.

Oliver's smile grew even wider when he saw the small, silver cuff links that were nestled inside the box. They had his initials, OJQ, engraved on them and a tiny emerald in the corner. These were the best gift that Oliver had ever received.

"Felicity! Thank you. They are perfect." Oliver told his bride, the smile never leaving his face. He then lifted his gaze longingly to the the doorway that his bride stood just on the other side of.

When Felicity opened the box her breath caught in her throat. One hand lifted to rest at the base of her throat as she looked down at the necklace that was nestled inside. It was simple, but perfect. The necklace had a polished silver chain with one pendant. It was a six point star with a tiny emerald set in the middle of it.

"A star of David. Oliver, it's beautiful." Felicity whispered as she gently reached down to pull the necklace out of the box.

"It's made from arrowheads." Oliver explained, wishing he could see the look on her face. "I've bought you jewelry, but I wanted this gift to be more personal."

"Did you make this?" Felicity asked as she held the necklace up and looked at it.

"Yes." Oliver answered simply.

"Oh Oliver! I love it! It's perfect!" Felicity gushed as she replaced the necklace in the box for a moment. She reached out and took Oliver's hand. "I love you Oliver Queen." She whispered, just loud enough for Oliver to hear.

"I love you too Felicity Smoak." Oliver replied, his emotions clearly evident in his voice as he wasn't even trying to hide them. He squeezed Felicity's hand gently as he noticed the wedding planner and Diggle heading their way. "I'll see you shortly my bride."

Felicity had no words, which was unusual for her. She usually had lots and lots of words. However, the tenderness in Oliver's voice, the thoughtfulness of his gift, the softness of his touch, had all rendered her speechless. She stood completely still, already missing his hand in hers, as he walked away towards the garden out back. She knew she was only moments away from seeing him, and she couldn't wait.

* * *

"You ready for this?" Diggle asked as he and Oliver met up with Roy and the Rabbi by the doors that would lead them to the garden for the wedding ceremony.

"Just a second." Oliver told his friend. He turned to a small table and set down the box with the cuff links and proceeded to take out the ones he had been wearing and replace them with the ones that Felicity had just given him.

"Those look nice." Roy commented. "Where'd you get them?"

"A wedding gift from Felicity." Oliver answered as he finished putting them in and straightened the jacket to his tux.

"Mr. Queen, we're ready for you." The wedding planner told the men. The quickly lined up and headed out the door.

Oliver took a deep breath as he headed towards his place at the end of the aisle. The time had come, he was about to see his beautiful bride.

* * *

Walter smiled as he stepped into the den. Felicity was gorgeous in her dress and he couldn't keep the smile from his face.

"Felicity." Walter called to gain her attention.

"Walter!" Felicity sighed. She walked up to him and he pulled her into a hug.

"You are...simply stunning." Walter told her as he held her hands in his and stepped back to arms length to get a better look at her.

"Do you think Oliver will like it?" Felicity asked, suddenly shy and nervous.

"No Felicity, he's not going to like it." Walter told her. He reached out and lifted her chin when she looked down at his answer. "He's going to  _love_  it!" Walter smiled. "Come, it's time to meet Oliver at the Chuppa."

"Can you help me with this?" Felicity asked as she held up the necklace that Oliver had just given her.

"Of course." Walter answered as he took the necklace. "It's beautiful." He told her as he clasped it around her neck.

"Oliver gave it to me. He made it." Felicity told him as she touched the arrowhead charm.

"It's perfect. Shall we go?" Walter asked. He smiled at Felicity's simple nod of agreement.

Walter turned and tucked Felicity's hand in the crook of his arm, placing his hand on top of hers as they walked. They met Donna, Sara, and Thea by the back door. Sara and Thea both looked stunning in their dresses. Felicity had chosen deep green, strapless dresses for the girls and they looked amazing in them.

"Felicity, baby!" Donna whispered as she stepped up and hugged her daughter. "I am so happy for you!"

"Thank you mom." Felicity whispered just before her mom released her from her hug.

"Go get him baby!" Donna told her daughter with a smile just before walking out the door to take her seat.

Walter then turned to face Felicity and gently took her veil in his hands. He lowered it over her face to complete the look and offered her a small smile.

"Walter, thank you for doing this!" Felicity told him as she tucked her hand in the crook of his arm once again. "It really means a lot to me."

"Of course Felicity. I am honored that you asked me to walk you down the aisle." Walter told her as he glanced at her.

"Okay ladies. It's time." The wedding planner told the girls as they lined up at the back door.

The wedding planner handed each of the women their bouquets and ensured that they were ready to go. As the string quartet played first Thea, then Sara slowly walked down the aisle to take their place as Felicity's witnesses.

"Are you ready?" Walter asked just before it was their turn to walk outside.

Felicity took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"I've never been more ready for anything in my life." She whispered as the door opened and she stepped outside.

As soon as Felicity stepped outside she looked up and her breath caught in her throat at the sight before her. On either side of the aisle were gathered their closest friends and family, and just before her stood Oliver, her groom. He was waiting at the Chuppa that had been adorned in white fabric that covered the four corners and there were small emerald colored jewels hanging from the top and catching the sunlight.

Oliver looked up as Felicity stepped through the door and his heart stopped beating for a moment. She looked radiant, his bride, and she was finally coming to meet him, to start a life together as husband and wife. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as his eyes met that of his soon to be wife. Only one thought came to mind and he whispered it under his breath, Diggle, as his best man, was the only one to hear him.

"Finally!"

 


	57. A Wedding Ceremony

Oliver couldn't take his eyes of his bride as Felicity slowly made her way to him on the arm of Walter. The soft chords of  _A Thousand Years_  being played by the string quartet washing over them. He had seen her happy before, but the smile on her face that reached her bright blue eyes, the flush on her cheeks, the fact that she couldn't break the eye contact that they had, all these things told Oliver that she had never been happier than she was in  _this_   _moment,_ and If he were being honest, neither had he.

Felicity had also been beautiful before. In fact, Oliver thought that she  _always_  looked beautiful, however, on this day, at this hour, the moment that they are to be wed, she looked more than just beautiful. Felicity was lovely, charming, delightful, magnificent, stunning. In fact, he couldn't think of enough words to describe how breathtaking she was. He broke eye contact with her for just a moment in order to fully appreciate how amazing she looked. Her golden hair was arranged elegantly off her shoulders, allowing him an uninterrupted view of her face. Felicity's beautiful blue eyes sparkled from under her veil, her glasses put away for now and he could clearly see the brightness in her eyes as she smiled at him. He then noticed that she was wearing the necklace that he had given her, the Star of David made from his own arrowheads. The sight caused his already wide smile to grow.

As his eyes slowly took in the sight of her Oliver noted how perfectly her dress fit her. It was a stunning, white gown that hugged her curves beautifully. It was formfitting from the top to the waist where it gradually flared until it touched the ground, giving her a small train in the back. The dress was strapless with a sweetheart neckline that perfectly accentuated her beauty and there was a lace overlay that covered the entire dress. The lace lay straight across her shoulders, giving an off the shoulder look, and continued to cover the rest of the dress as if it were cut from the same fabric ** _._**  At her waist was a green sash, about the width of his hand, in the ever present deep green that matched his Arrow suit.

He met her eyes once more and simply could not believe that she was there, for him, and they were about to be wed. It seemed as though he had waited a thousand years for this moment.

After an agonizingly long time, when in reality it was only a couple of minutes, Felicity finally stood before him and on his right, as was Jewish custom. He smiled at her once more and he could see her take a deep breath, returning the smile. Walter gave her hand a small pat before placing it in Oliver's.

Oliver and Felicity then turned and stepped under the Chuppa. The Rabbi stood before them and recited the traditional blessing of betrothal. Once the blessing had been given the Rabbi handed Oliver a glass of wine and he and Felicity each drank from the cup. As they drank the Rabbi spoke of how wine was a symbol of joy and how marriage was the sanctification of a man and a woman to each other.

Once Oliver and Felicity both drank of the wine the Rabbi then turned to Diggle who passed him Felicity's wedding band. It was a simple gold band without any ornamentation on it. Felicity had requested the simple band in keeping with Jewish tradition. As the Rabbi passed the ring to Oliver he commented on how just as the wedding band was without blemish, the hope was that the marriage would be the same.

Oliver held Felicity's hand for all to see and repeated after the Rabbi, not once taking his eyes off Felicity's.

"Behold, you are betrothed unto me with this ring, according to the law of Moses and Israel."

At this point Felicity had decided to break with Jewish tradition and present Oliver with his wedding band early, instead of waiting until after the rest of the ceremony as was custom. The Rabbi turned to Sara, her maid of honor, to retrieve the ring and hand it to Felicity to present to Oliver. It also was a simple gold band, however, unlike hers there were a few words etched on the inside of the band.  _My hero. Always!_  Felicity also repeated the words that Oliver had spoken, never once breaking eye contact.

Once the rings were exchanged the Rabbi then recited seven blessings linking the bride and groom to the Jewish faith in God as the Creator of the world, bestower of joy and love, and the ultimate Redeemer of their people. At the conclusion of the blessings Oliver and Felicity once again drank a glass of wine together.

According to Jewish custom, Oliver and Felicity were now officially married and only had one more task to complete, however, they had each expressed their desire to also recite vows that they had written personally. At this point the Rabbi took a step back, allowing the bride and groom to share their words.

Oliver took a moment to gather his emotions as he looked at his bride, his Felicity, his girl. He wanted to savor this moment, to cherish it for all eternity.

"Felicity. From the moment I saw you in Queen Consolidated I knew you were special. You were beautiful, funny, and amazing even then." Oliver smiled as he took another moment to take a deep breath and reign in his emotions, otherwise he was never going to finish his vows.

"During my time away I had forgotten what it was like to see people for people, and when I came home I just didn't know how to turn that part of me off. But then I walked into your office. You were the first person that I could see as a person. There was just something about you. You were chewing on a red pen and I knew in that moment that you were going to change my life. I never could have imagined how completely."

Felicity couldn't help the small laugh that escaped. She couldn't believe that he had remembered the color of the pen that she was chewing on when they first met, and if the laughter from the gathered guests were any indication, they couldn't either. She tilted her head just barely to the side as she smiled at Oliver, encouraging him to continue.

"There was a time when I told you that I couldn't be with you because of what we do." Oliver paused for another moment, breathing deeply. "Well, I was wrong. I couldn't do what we do, be who I am, without you! You are the only person that has always seen me for who I am. You know how broken, how damaged I am and yet you still love me. You've been there for me in good times and bad. You've helped guide me when things got rough, and you've patched me up when I've been bleeding and dying in the back seat of your mini cooper. You've called me on my lies, always been honest with me, and loved me no matter how stubborn I've been. Felicity, you are the one person who knows who I  _really_  am and yet here you are."

Felicity had to take a moment to wipe a tear that had escaped as Oliver spoke. Right now she was extremely thankful for waterproof mascara and hoping that she would be able to get through her vows when Oliver was finished.

"So now I promise you this. No moresecrets, I will always be honest with you as you have been with me. I will  _always_  do  _anything_  to protect you. I promise to honor you and to be faithful to you. I promise to provide for you, to the best of my ability. But mostly I promise to love you, in the good times and bad. Even when it seems as though the whole world is crumbling down around us and things are hopeless. The one thing that will never change is my love and devotion to you." Oliver took one more steadying breath.

"Felicity Meghan Smoak, you have my heart. I promise to be yours, always. Till death do us part, and even after."

Felicity stood and stared at Oliver as she gather her emotions, wiping tears from her eyes. She wasn't sure how she was going to compete with that, but it was time to give it a try. She squeezed Oliver hands in hers and smiled as she spoke.

"Oliver Jonas Queen, knowing you has been a wild ride." She paused as the guests laughed. "Would you believe that I thought you were special even before you walked into my office? The world thought you were a crazy playboy, but when I saw a picture of you, your smile, I knew that the world was missing the man that was underneath that mask and I was sad thinking that they would never get to know the real you. Then one day you walked into my office, caught me chewing on that red pen, and you smiled at me. Sure, you fed me a web of lies and tried to keep what you were doing a secret, but I knew. I always knew that there was more to you than you were letting on. Then one day I found you bleeding and dying in the backseat of my car and suddenly everything made sense, your lies, your deceit, had all been for a reason and in that moment I  _knew_  that I was right. You were so much more than the world thought you could ever be." Felicity paused to take a deep breath and she couldn't help but think about how happy Oliver looked in this moment as his eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

"Oliver we have been through so much together. People have kidnapped up, tried to kill us, attempted to tear us apart, and yet we still always find a way back to each other. Our love is one that transcends all time and space and that nothing,  _nothing_ , on this earth can ever tear apart. There are three things that I know for sure. The first is that I will always be there for you, believe in you, no matter what. The second is that I will always be true to you." Felicity paused for a moment for effect.

"And the third thing?" Oliver asked with a smile.

"The third thing is that I love you!" Felicity answered with a smile. "I always have, and I always will. Oliver Jonas Queen, I promise to be your girl, your  _girl_  girl, always and forever."

There was a moment of silence after Oliver and Felicity finished their vows to each other. The couple had not once taken their eyes from each other throughout the entire ceremony, and this was no exception. Finally, the Rabbi cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention, including a reluctant bride and groom,to the remainder of the ceremony. He took one of the empty wine glasses and laid it at Oliver's feet. Oliver then proceeded to step on the glass and broke it, the final Jewish tradition.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." The Rabbi then declared. "You may now kiss your bride."

At the words from the Rabbi Oliver once again turned his gaze to Felicity and their eyes connected. He ever so slowly and gently took hold of the corners of Felicity's veil and flipped it over, awarding him with his first unhindered view of his bride's face. He smiled as he reached up and placed first his right then his left hand on either side of Felicity's face, maintaining eye contact the entire time. He then slowly leaned down and touched his lips to hers. He felt her reaching for him, placing her hands on his back and pulling him in closer.

Suddenly the sound of Diggle clearing his throat behind them caused Oliver and Felicity to pull apart with a laugh. He touched his forehead to hers and smiled as their gathered friends and family laughed and cheered. After a moment he reached down and took her hand in his, reluctantly pulling away from her, and turned them both to face the crowd. The Rabbi then spoke the words that everyone had waited a very long time to hear.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to introduce to you, for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Queen!"

* * *

**AN: All Jewish components of the ceremony came from online research, therefore, if something is incorrect I apologize. I have never attended a Jewish wedding so I simply did the best that I could with the resources that I could find.**

**The song played during the ceremony is Kristina Perry's _A Thousand Years._  I could not get this song out of my head when thinking about the Olicity wedding and decided that it fit perfectly.**

**For those who want a better visual on Felicity's dress, here is where I took the inspiration from...** **www. lisafebriyana lace-wedding-dress-with-34-sleeves (Remove extra spaces)**


	58. Celebration

Oliver and Felicity made their way back up the aisle to the continued cheers from their friends and family. Once they reached the deck by the back door of the mansion Oliver stopped and turned to Felicity.

"Felicity." Oliver breathed quietly as he looked down to his blushing bride.

Felicity smiled up at Oliver, the look of pure love on his face was almost more than she could handle at this one moment.

"Oliver... I love you!" Felicity whispered as she reached up and placed her right hand over Oliver's heart. "I love you and am SO happy that we are married!"

"You've always had my heart Felicity." Oliver whispered as he leaned a little closer to her, placing his hand over hers where it lay on his heart. "I just can't believe that I get to spend the rest of my life with you."

At that moment both Oliver and Felicity leaned in and kissed. It was a slow, gentle, yet passionate kiss filled with promises and hope for their future together.

"There's somewhere I want to take you." Oliver told her once he was finally able to pull himself away from his bride.

"But Oliver, we still have pictures." Felicity argued for a moment before she noticed the seriousness on Oliver's face and decided to give in and see where he wanted to take her.

"It won't take long. I promise." Oliver explained as he took her hand and they started to walk towards another part of the Queen garden.

As they walked Felicity couldn't help but wonder where in the world Oliver was taking her. She wasn't worried though because she trusted this man with her life and would follow him anywhere. They walked leisurely for a moment, Felicity taking in the beauty of the trees around her, before Oliver finally stopped. Felicity looked around and realized that they were in a clearing, a bit farther from the house, and in front of them was a headstone. On the stone was engraved the name Robert Queen and Felicity finally realized what Oliver was doing.

"I know he's not really buried here, but this is as close I can get without chartering a jet and going back to Lian Yu." Oliver explained as he took a step forward to stand closer to the headstone. "You never had the chance to meet my father. He would have liked you." He turned to Felicity and took her hand, drawing her to him and placing a hand around her waist.

"I know he loved you Oliver. He did everything that he could to give you the best chance at life." Felicity slipped her arm around Oliver's waist and leaned against his arm. "He may not have always been the best father in the world but I know for a fact that he really did love you. He would be  _so_  proud of you, of what you have done for the city, of who you have become."

"I wish he could have been here today, to meet you." Oliver said after a moment.

"I know, and he is." Felicity told him as she pulled away from him and turned to face him. "Right here, where it matters most." She told Oliver quietly as she once again placed her hand over his heart.

"Thank you." Oliver told Felicity sincerely. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath to keep the threatening tears at bay. "Thank you for coming down here with me. I just couldn't imagine finishing this day without introducing you to my father."

"Well, it was very nice to meet you Mr. Queen." Felicity said with a smile as she stepped away from Oliver. She stepped up to the gravestone, placed her left hand on top of it and bent down in front of it. "I want to thank you, for giving me your son. He is a really amazing man who loves his family  _very_  deeply. Thank you for giving him a chance at life. If you hadn't given him that gift then I would never have met him, he wouldn't be standing here today, his mom and sister would still be grieving for him, and this city wouldn't even know what they were missing. But, because of your selfless sacrifice your son has come home, to his family, to this city, to the company that you built, and to me. I owe you one."

A brief moment later Felicity stood and turned to meet Oliver. He was staring at her in awe. He couldn't believe what she had just done, and he loved her all the more for it. He smiled softly at her before reaching out to take her hand once more.

"I think we need to go finish the pictures so that we can make it to our reception." Oliver commented as they started the slow walk back to the house.

"Thank you for bringing me down here." Felicity told Oliver. "I'm glad I got to meet him, without going on a crazy plane ride to  _that_  Island in the North China Sea that I am perfectly content never going to visit ever, ever again."

Oliver laughed as they walked and he was reminded yet again why he loved Felicity so much. Once they rejoined the wedding party they quickly finished up the pictures that Felicity had wanted before heading inside the Queen Mansion to start the festivities.

* * *

Oliver and Felicity had never been more than two feet apart since the wedding started. When they returned to the house after pictures they had entered the den, which had been completely cleared out of all furniture for the reception, to the cheers of all the friends and family gathered. The first thing that Oliver and Felicity did as husband and wife was dance together. They spent the duration of the song staring lovingly into each others eyes, blissfully lost in their own world. In fact, if Felicity had been asked what song they had danced to she would not have been able to answer, she was too engrossed in enjoying being with her husband.

Once the first dance was finished Walter stepped up to the happy couple.

"May I have the next dance?" Walter asked. He had been filling the father's role for Felicity, and now, at the encouragement from Moira, was doing the same for Oliver with the customary dance.

"Of course." Oliver acquiesced. He didn't want to let go of Felicity, but he also knew he would have her all to himself soon enough.

As Walter and Felicity began the second dance Oliver walked over to Donna who was standing next to his own mother.

"Donna, may I have this dance?" Oliver asked with a smirk on his face.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I want to dance with my baby girl's handsome husband?" Donna gushed as Oliver led her to the dance floor.

Oliver didn't miss the smirk on Felicity's face as he started to dance with Donna. It was obvious that his new wife was enjoying herself and he found himself hoping that the look of pure bliss on her face never faded.

As the music to the second song faded Oliver turned to meet the eyes of Walter. He gave a brief smile and nodded once before turning towards his mother.

"It looks like I get the honor of a second dance with you." Walter smiled as the next song began to play. "Oliver wishes to dance with his mother."

Felicity glanced briefly in Oliver's direction and smiled as he led Moira onto the dance floor with a huge smile on her face. Felicity was so excited that everyone was having a good time so far.

After Oliver had danced with both Donna and Moira, and Felicity had danced with Walter, the crowd gathered in a bit closer to the bride and groom in the center of the dance floor. Suddenly, out of seemingly nowhere, Diggle and Roy appeared with two chairs and encouraged the couple to sit on them. Felicity couldn't help the grin that spread across her face as she knew what was coming next.

Once Oliver and Felicity were seated Roy, Diggle, Maseo, and Anatoli all stepped forward and hoisted the chairs into the air. Then, as was Jewish custom, the rest of the guests gathered and danced around the couple who were holding hands and laughing during the experience.

As the traditional dances came to a close everyone then moved to the back garden where dinner was to be served. They all gathered around long tables to enjoy a delicious meal of lamb prepared with love by Raisa.

After Oliver and Felicity ate the guests came around to the head table where they were seated to greet and congratulate the them, the first of which were Moira and Walter.

"Felicity, dear, you look stunning." Moira complimented the bride as they came around to give hugs to Oliver and Felicity. "Welcome to the family."

"Thank you Moira." Felicity responded with a smile.

"I am simply grateful that Oliver found someone who compliments him so well, and who clearly loves him as much as he loves them." Walter stated as he hugged Felicity as well. "You were a great addition to QC when I hired you, you have been a brilliant addition to Oliver's Team, and now you are a wonderful addition to our family."

"Thank you Walter, for everything!" Felicity thanked him.

"Of course my dear." Walter smiled before they moved to give way to the next guest.

"Felicity!" Donna squealed as she pulled her daughter into a hug. "I'm so  _excited!"_

"I know mom, me too!" Felicity laughed at her mother's exuberance.

"Now  _you_." Donna became suddenly serious as she turned to Oliver. "You take good care of my baby girl now, you hear? If you hurt her I will come after you!"

"Don't worry, I won't hurt her. I'll protect her with my life." Oliver answered just as seriously. As he glanced at Felicity he could see that she knew that he meant it. After all, he had proven it before.

"Good, well, I just had to make sure." Donna smiled once again before walking away.

As the evening progressed Oliver and Felicity were able to spend a few moments with each of the guests. Maseo and Tsatsu stepped over and Oliver introduced his friends to his wife.  _I still can't believe she's my_ wife  _now._  Oliver thought as Felicity spoke with the couple. Next was the Lance family and Nyssa, all of whom were happy for the newlyweds. Thea and Roy stepped up as a couple with Sin in tow and were embraced in tight hugs accompanied from a loud squeal of excitement from Thea. Diggle and Lyla also came to embrace the happy couple and wish them many happy years together. Barry, Iris, Cisco, and Caitlin gathered around for hugs and handshakes as well and wished the couple all the happiness in the world. Finally Anatoli approached them and gave Oliver a very sturdy handshake and Felicity a hug wishing them a heartfelt blessing in Russian, which Oliver translated automatically for Felicity.

It was shortly after the meal was over that the guests once again went inside the house to enjoy more dancing. There was a lot of fun and laughter, especially from the younger guests, during the remainder of the evening.

Finally, after another hour or so of dancing, Diggle stepped up to the DJ and grabbed a mic.

"Okay ladies and gentlemen. If I could have your attention please." Diggle waited until it had quieted down and everyone was looking at him. "The staff are going to pass out glasses of champagne as it's time for a toast." He paused for a couple of minutes as he waited for everyone to have a glass in hand. Once the guests all had a glass he turned to Oliver and Felicity who were standing in front of the guests.

"Oliver, when I first met you..." Diggle paused and shook his head, causing most of the group to laugh. "Man, I didn't know  _what_  to do about you. I was supposed to be your bodyguard and yet you constantly found ways to ditch me. Over time though things changed. You no longer needed me as a bodyguard, instead I became your friend, your partner. You filled a deep void that was left in my life when Andy died. Now, you're not just my friend, or my partner, but my  _brother_. Your friendship has meant the world to me and I can't think of any words to describe how happy I am for you that you have found the woman that you want to spend the rest of your life with." Diggle paused for a moment as he and Oliver exchanged a look before then turning his gaze to Felicity.

"Felicity, the first time I met you I didn't know  _what_  this kid was up to." Diggle said as he nodded at Oliver, eliciting a laugh from the bride. "The Oliver that I saw when he was around you was so  _different_  from the Oliver that I saw every other moment of the day and it wasn't until you officially became a part of our Team that I realized  _why_. You are an amazing woman Felicity. You are smart, loving, caring, honest, and just pure light in a world full of darkness. You showed Oliver what it means to have someone believe in him, even when they know every side of him. You taught him that maybe there was a better way than the way that he was doing things. You have also shown  _me_  that there is still good in this world." Diggle paused for a moment as Felicity smiled at him. "You, Felicity, are like the little sister that I never had, and one of the best friends that I've had the pleasure of having. You two are perfect for each other in  _every_  way. And, if I'm being completely honest, I am so happy that you two  _finally_  tied the knot! I was getting tired of waiting!"

The crowd all laughed at that, each knowing exactly how Diggle felt as they had all watched as Felicity and Oliver grew closer over the last couple of years.

"So, in conclusion I would like to offer a toast, to Oliver and Felicity." Diggle said as he raised his glass. "May you always believe in each other, encourage each other, and love each other, no matter  _what_  life throws at you!"

Everyone drank to that. Each person knew that what Diggle had said was nothing short of the honest truth and they couldn't agree more.

"Okay, I guess that means it's my turn then." Sara said somewhat hesitantly. Toasts had never been her strong suit. "Oliver, there is so much that I could say. But, instead of boring you with stories of the young Oliver that I knew before the Gambit, or of the Oliver that I met after the Gambit I will just say this. I am so happy that you were able to find your way home, because if you hadn't you would have never met the amazing woman standing next to you. We all need someone in our life that doesn't wear a mask, and you have found her. Felicity, you complete Oliver in every way, just as he completes you and I am honored to have had the chance to get to know you." Sara took a breath as she smiled at Oliver and Felicity.

"So, my toast to you is this." Sara raised her glass, as did the other guests. "To happiness, second chances, and unconditional love!"

"Thank you all, for coming out and sharing this wonderful day with us!" Oliver turned with Felicity and addressed the group after Sara's toast. "It means a lot to us that you took the time to come here and share this with us. Thank you!"

* * *

The wedding guests all gathered just outside the front door of the mansion where they were going to be sending Oliver and Felicity off. They had already said goodbye to all of their guests and family, and their luggage had been loaded. Despite her best effort Thea was not able to discover where the couple was going for their honeymoon, just that Diggle and Lyla were going as security detail. All Diggle would tell her is that they were leaving on a private jet from Ferris Air. Apparently the honeymoon was a well guarded secret.

Oliver and Felicity emerged from the house holding hands with huge smiles on their faces. This was it, the official start of their new life together. They were showered in bubbles as they walked from the house to the black Porsche convertible that was awaiting them with the top down. With one last wave to those gathered to see them off Oliver pulled away and they headed off to their long awaited honeymoon.

After a few minutes of driving Oliver glanced to Felicity who was next to him.

"Can I say something crazy?" He asked, a wide smile on his face.

"What?" Felicity asked as she turned in her seat, still in her dress, to face her husband.

"I'm happy. Really happy!"

The newly married Oliver and Felicity Queen smiled at each other as they drove off towards their long awaited honeymoon, and their Ever After!


	59. Epilogue

"How was the honeymoon?" Sara asked as she greeted Oliver and Felicity Queen as they disembarked the jet they had taken six weeks ago. It was clear that they both had enjoyed their time away as they both had huge smiles and new tans.

"It was fabulous!" Felicity gushed as she embraced Sara. "It was so relaxing and I'm not sure I'm ready to be back."

Oliver laughed as Sara and Felicity walked towards the waiting SUV. He had really enjoyed his honeymoon, in every way, but it was good to be home too. He helped Diggle load up the luggage before they all climbed in the car and headed to Verdant.

"How is the Team doing?" Oliver asked curiously.

"Things are good." Sara commented. "Roy's injuries are finally healed and he's just started fully training again. Thea has been working really hard on her training too and has just received a package from Central City with a suit in it. Apparently Cisco thought it would be funny to have Roy and Thea in matching colors. Andrew is still around, he's been helping a lot with the computer stuff. He's no Felicity, but he's not a bad second. He's moving to Gotham next week to start his new job with Wayne. Sin is coming along too. She's been training a lot as well but I'm not sure if she's going to be a full fledged member of the Team. We'll have to wait and see what she decides."

"Is the League still in town?" Oliver asked as he held Felicity's hand.

"Nyssa and Maseo are still here, but they are planning on leaving tomorrow." Sara explained as she drove. "They said they can assist with patrol again tonight if you're not ready to get back into it."

"I don't know about Oliver but I'd welcome a night on patrol." Diggle commented. Lyla laughed having known that that would be his answer.

"I wouldn't argue with that." Oliver commented innocently.

"I knew that would be your answer." Felicity smiled up at Oliver. "I kind of want to get back to my babies too."

Oliver gave her an odd look before he smiled and kissed her.

"Missing your computers are you?" Oliver asked once he had kissed Felicity.

"Yep!" Felicity answered.

"Well don't worry. We're almost back." Sara commented as she looked in the rear view mirror. "You can get back to work soon enough."

During the rest of the ride to the Lair Oliver and Felicity shared stories from their honeymoon, the places they had gone, things they had seen. Sara could tell that they had enjoyed their time away, as had Lyla and Diggle if the smiles on their faces were any indication. It was only a short time later that they pulled into the alley behind Verdant.

Oliver, Felicity, Diggle, Lyla, and Sara all stepped out of the SUV and headed toward the back entrance to the Lair.

"Let's go in quietly, see if we can sneak up on them." Sara commented with a smirk as she eased the door open as quietly as possible.

Felicity took in a deep breath as soon as she stepped through the door into the Lair. She had missed this, the smell of Team Arrow. It was a unique smell that she couldn't have described if she had wanted to. It just smelled like home.

Oliver smiled as he quietly started to descend the stairs. He heard the familiar sound of someone on the Salmon Ladder.  _Probably Roy_. He thought with a smile. Next he heard the sound of two people sparring on the mats.  _Sounds like Thea and Sin_. Lastly he heard the familiar sound of someone on the computer which had to be Andrew. Finally he had descended the steps enough to see what was going on.

He had been right. Sin and Thea were sparring on the mats, Roy was on the Salmon Ladder, and Andrew was sitting on the computer that now proudly displayed two pictures from their wedding - one of just he and Felicity and another with the whole Team gathered and smiling. He stopped and observed the goings on in the Lair. As he watched the younger generation of Team Arrow training and working he smiled. He knew in this moment that when the time came and he retired that the city would be in good hands, because of the young men and women before him.

Oliver turned and met Felicity's eyes.

"Welcome home Mrs. Queen." Oliver smiled.

"Welcome home Mr. Queen." Felicity answered with a smile of her own as she placed her hand on her stomach and thought about their future, and the appointment that she needed to make.

They were home!

* * *

**AN: Thank you so much for staying with me through this journey!  As you can see, I've left it open in case the muse inspires in the future so there is a chance you will see another installment for this series in the future..... so keep your eyes peeled ;)**

**AND... one last time... Please do me the honor and leave me a reivew letting me know what you think!**

**THANK YOU!!!!**


	60. Author's Note

Hello Everyone!

I know I've been MIA for a while but I am back... with a new fic :) The new story is 4th in the Abducted series and is Titled " **Home** ". It is going through the editing process and should be posted shortly. Please check it out!

Thank you all for your wonderful support!


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